Saint Petersburg

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St. Petersburg October - November 2015

More than

11 years in Russia!

inyourpocket.com

N°102

Cultural capital All you need to know about theatres in St. Petersburg Catch the best of the city!

Discover why autumn is the most perfect season of all

Contents E S S E N TI A L C I TY G U I D E S

Foreword

6

In the News

7

Arrival & Getting Around

8

City Basics

10

Language

11

Culture & Events 12 Concerts 12 Russian rock 15 Exhibitions 17 Features Theatre in St. Petersburg 21 Nevsky prospekt 34 Hidden museums 46 St. Petersburg’s historical outskirts 48 Travel feature: Dagestan 64 Travel feature: Arkhangelsk 66

Where to eat

Russian cuisine Vegetarian restaurants Restaurants in hotels Interview with the chef

25 28 32 36 37

Nightlife

38 New places in town 40

What to see 42 The essentials 42 Churches 44 Museums 45 Modern art centres 45 Where to stay 50 Concierge interview

50

Shopping

53 Russian souvenirs 54 Bookshops 54

Expat & Lifestyle 55 The expat experience

56

Maps & Index

www.facebook.com/StPetersburgInYourPocket

City map Street index Metro map

58 60 61

Moscow

62 October - November 2015

5

Foreword

In the News

The latter days of fall are often cursed, But as for me, kind reader, she is precious In all her quiet beauty, mellow glow.

Thus might a child, disfavored in its family, Draw my regard. To tell you honestly, Of all the times of year, I cherish her alone.

She’s full of worth; and I, a humble lover, Have found in her peculiar charms.

The words from this poem were written by one of the greatest Russian artists of all time, Alexander Pushkin. For many Russians, St. Petersburg is associated with autumn, which has always been my favorite time of the year. Well yes, it may be cold and rainy (and since we are talking about Russia - sometimes snowy too) but there’s something magical about autumn in this city. There’s something new in the air, something fresh, something very beautiful. October and November can be the perfect time to explore St. Petersburg. Despite the fact that you can never predict the weather, there’s plenty to do.

For example, this is the time when the new cultural season starts anew. Whether you like rock, pop or classical concerts, film festivals, art exhibitions, opera or ballet, St. Petersburg is your town this autumn. And just as the seasons are changing, so too is St. Petersburg: new restaurants, concert spaces, bars and cafés are opening all the time. You can also go to the countryside and enjoy the falling autumn leaves at one of St. Petersburg’s imperial suburbs. After all, pictures of yellow, orange, red and purple leaves is classic for Russia. If you will be staying in Russia a bit longer we recommend you check our new rubric dedicated to travel in Russia. For this issue we have chosen Arkhangelsk in the North and Makhachkala, the capital city of the Republic of Dagestan, in the South. Turn to pages 64-66 to read our tips on what to do in these not so mainstream places. Whatever you do in St. Petersburg, don’t forget to share your experiences with us and other readers at www.facebook.com/StPetersburgInYourPocket. Welcome to the Northern Capital - enjoy your stay!

Ksenia Elzes, Russia In Your Pocket

St. Petersburg In Your Pocket founded and published by OOO Krasnaya Shapka/In Your Pocket.

Russia, 196084 St. Petersburg, ul. Tsvetochnaya 25A, tel: +7 (812) 448 88 65, E S S E N TI A L fax: +7 (812) 448 88 64, russia@inyourpocket.com, C I TY G U I D E S russia.inyourpocket.com General Director Tanya Skvortsova, tanya@inyourpocket.com Editor-in-Chief Ksenia Elzes, ksenia@inyourpocket.com Editor&Researcher Irina Khafizova, research.spb@inyourpocket.com Design Malvina Markina, design.russia@inyourpocket.com Sales Director Ilya Timshin, ilya.timshin@inyourpocket.com Sales Manager Pavel Stolyar, pavel.stolyar@inyourpocket.com Contributors Maria Stambler, Kristina Jaupllari Customer Service Manager Tanya Kharitonova, sales.russia@inyourpocket.com Copyright notice: text and photos copyright OOO Krasnaya Shapka 2003-2015. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, without written permission from the publisher and copyright owner. The brand name In Your Pocket is used under license from UAB In Your Pocket.

Editor’s note: the editorial content of In Your Pocket guides is independent from paid-for advertising. We welcome all readers‘ comments and suggestions. We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of going to press and assume no responsibility for changes and errors. © OOO Krasnaya Shapka/In Your Pocket © Maps: J.J. van der Molen, www.jobvandermolen.nl Published 5 times per year with supplements, No 102, 01.10.2015, 90.000 copies.

For children aged 16 years and over. Санкт-Петербург В Твоем Кармане Учредитель и издатель: ООО «Красная Шапка» Адрес редакции и издателя: Россия, 196084 Санкт-Петербург Ул. Цветочная д. 25, лит. А. тел. : + 7 (812) 448 88 65 факс: + 7 (812) 448 88 64 Главный редактор: Ксения Элзес Цена свободная. Для детей старше 16 лет.

Отпечатано ООО “Келла Принт”, 191024, Санкт-Петербург, ул. Тележная, д. 17. Заказ No26829 Свидетельство о регистрации средства массовой информации ПИ № ТУ78-01705 от 13.05.15 выдано Федеральной службой по надзору в сфере связи, информационных технологий и массовых коммуникаций (Роскомнадзор). Тираж 90 000 экз. No102.

01.10.2015

About IYP ESTONIA RUSSIA

LATVIA LITHUANIA

NORTHERN IRELAND IRELAND

BELARUS NETHERLANDS BELGIUM

POLAND UKRAINE

GERMANY CZECH REPUBLIC AUSTRIA

SWITZERLAND ITALY

HUNGARY

SLOVENIACROATIA BOSNIA SERBIA MONTENEGRO

ROMANIA

GEORGIA

BULGARIA

FYR MACEDONIA ALBANIA GREECE

DUTCH CARIBBEAN SOUTH AFRICA

6

St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

Our new digital platform, online at inyourpocket. com, is a radically redesigned and restructured resource which places the visitor at the heart of the cities we cover. The new website puts you in total control of our content on whatever desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile device you are using. Give it a go: it‘s the biggest digital leap forward we have ever taken and entrenches our position as a game-changing publisher in all formats. Meantime, back in the world of print, we are close to completing the first issue of Kaliningrad IYP: watch this space for more info.

To keep up with all that’s new at In Your Pocket, follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/inyourpocket) or Twitter (twitter.com/inyourpocket). st-petersburg.inyourpocket.com

Diaghilev P.S. St. Petersburg’s culture vultures will be flocking to the 6th International Festival of Arts “Diaghilev P.S.” between November 15th and 24th. The Festival was founded in the year of the 100th anniversary of Sergei Diaghilev’s “Les Saisons Russes” in St. Petersburg, which had given to the great impresario of the XX century the initial start and inspiration. The mission of the festival is to continue the line of Sergei Diaghilev and facilitate the cultural exchange of new ideas in the arts between Russia and the rest of the world. In its five years of existence the festival has become one of the major cultural events in the city, bringing tours of the best contemporary dance companies (the Hamburg Ballet of John Neumeier, the Aix-en-Provence company of Angelin Preljokaj, the Bolshoi Ballet of Russia) to town. This year’s program is promising to be no less impressive. www. diaghilev-ps.ru

New cities to launch St. Petersburg in Your Pocket is pleased to announce a new rubric dedicated to other interesting destinations within Russia. Starting with this edition, we will take you on a virtual tour of Arkhangelsk, a city in the north of European Russia on the banks of the Northern Dvina River near its exit into the White Sea, and Makhachkala, the capital city of the Republic of Dagestan, Russia located on the western shore of the Caspian Sea and home to the Makhachkala Grand Mosque, one of Russia’s largest.

Check pages 64 - 66.

Happy Unity Day

Study in UK! Thinking about higher education in the UK? The British Council invites you to visit the biggest event in international education - «Education UK» exhibition in St. Petersburg on October 6th at the Corinthia Hotel. Over 65 top UK institutions will present their programmes for secondary, higher and business education, as well as short courses and holiday programmes for children and adults. Visitors to the exhibition will have the unique opportunity to talk to representatives from universities, colleges and schools and choose the ones best-suited to their needs. www.britishcouncil.ru/expo/petersburg

Marcellis opening The Marcellis family is welcoming its newest member this autumn! The Italian food chain is making its debut in the Petrogradsky neighborhood and this new spot is promising to be even homier, cozier and more stylish than its older siblings: new colors, art objects and designer elements all add to the atmosphere of fun and complete relaxation. Its proximity to the zoo, the planetarium, museums and theaters makes it a perfect spot to refuel and recharge on tasty Italian fare after a long day out with the family. www.marcellis.ru www.facebook.com/StPetersburgInYourPocket

November 04 is Russia’s Day of Popular Unity. This national holiday is a new old holiday having been celebrated for the first time in 1649 and commemorates the victorious uprising in 1612 by Minin and Pozharsky which ejected the Polish forces from Moscow. Celebrated every year from 1612 up until 1917, the holiday was resurrected in 2005. It is viewed by most observers as a replacement holiday for the now-abolished holiday of November 7 which commemorated the Revolution. Creating the confusion of how to you congratulate someone on this holiday…Happy Unity Day!

Aurora Fashion Week Dozens of fashion-related events will take place in different spots around St. Petersburg as part of the 11th Aurora Fashion Week (October 12-18) so if you live for couture or swear by Vogue, this one’s not to be missed. This year, mission of AFW stays true to its roots: to show the best of St. Petersburg’s fashion industry and to discover the brightest Russian and international fashion projects. Aside from the designers’ shows, you can take part in the “Fashionomica” fashion business conference, the “White Night Shopping” festival, visit various exhibitions, presentations and film premieres, spoil your tastebuds at the “Aurora Plate” food festival and, of course, mingle with like-minded fashionistas at informal cocktail events and parties. www.afwrussia.com

October - November 2015

7

Arriving & Getting Around

Arriving & Getting Around fic police: the official penalty for driving 20-40km too fast is 300Rbl, for 60km over the limit, it costs between 1000 and 1,500Rbl. Driving through a red light will cost 700Rbl and not wearing a seatbelt will cost 500Rbl. Most of the policemen do not speak English, which might make things difficult, or perhaps very easy. In towns the speed limit is around 60 km/h, but road conditions often force you to drive more carefully and thus more slowly.

Arriving by plane

St. Petersburg has excellent public transport. The metro system is amazing - both attractive and efficient - and is the fastest way to get across town or into the centre of the city.

If you find Cyrillic a bit of a squiggle, you’ll love the metro as it has transliterations for all the stations. To navigate your way from the metro station to your destination you have a choice of buses, minibuses (marshrutky), trolleybuses and trams - these are less user friendly but once you know the routes and when to get off, they make getting around the city a breeze. If you want to hop into something a little more comfortable, you can always take a taxi.

Arriving in town Arriving by bus St. Petersburg has several bus stations, so make sure you know where you are going before you leave.

The central bus station (www.avokzal.ru) is a bit out of the way at Naberezhnaya Obvodnogo kanala 36, which is a short taxi-ride (around 200-300Rbl) to the centre of town and about a 15-minute walk to metro Ligovsky pr.

Eurolines buses (www.eurolines.ru) arrive at Baltiskaya metro station where you can take a taxi or just enter into the metro system. To find your way into the city centre make a bee-line for Nevsky Prospekt. Some bus companies have stops at the city’s main hotels. The proliferation of bus companies operating out of St. Petersburg means that you could be dropped off at a number of different bus stops.

The main rule of thumb is to find your way to the nearest metro station or take a taxi.

Arriving by car Are you driving your car all the way to Russia? Remember the following: your National and International Driver’s licence, registration and insurance documents for the car and, of course, your passport with a valid Russian visa. At the border, ask for an Immigration Card and make sure it is stamped! Stay on the main roads, as you might get pulled over for accidentally straying into a military zone (no, that is not a joke). Traffic police (recognizable by ДПС or ГИБДД or ГАИ) might also fine you for not having a fire extinguisher, a first-aid kit, or for exceeding the speed limit, which on the highway varies between 80 and 110 km/h. The normal procedure for pumping gas is that you first pay for a certain amount and then start filling up your tank.

The Traffic Police have stops when you enter a new zone of jurisdiction. You are required to proceed slowly and there is a chance you might get pulled off. Don’t overpay the traf8

St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

St. Petersburg’s international terminal Pulkovo is located in the south of the city (metro Moskovskaya). The airport offers the usual shops and restaurants within the terminal building and hotels nearby. Keep your eyes open for ATM machines and money exchanges (obmen valyuty) if you urgently need some roubles. If you want to relax with a coffee and cake before being collected or trying to find your way into the city, be aware that the airport prices have been known to cause heart failure!

Getting into town: To get into the city centre you can take Bus №39 or mini-bus (marshrutka) №39 to Moskovskaya Metro Station (seven stops – it will take 15-25 minutes depending on traffic) and then take the metro into town (another seven stops in the metro – about 15-20 minutes).

Once you are in the metro system you can get to most parts of town quickly. Keep you eyes open for maps of the metro system if you need to find a particular station.

If you choose to take a taxi, beware of the airport taxi drivers! They are notorious for overcharging, asking 1500Rbl and up for the 18-km ride to the city centre. Always agree on a fare before getting in, keeping in mind that a reasonable price shouldn’t exceed 700-800Rbl.

Departing St. Petersburg by train: If you’d just like to get out of the city for the day, local trains (electrichky) cheaply connect the villages and suburbs to St. Petersburg. Electrichky to Gatchina, Lomonosov and Peterhof depart from Baltic (Baltiisky) station, from Finlyandsky you can visit Viburg, and Pushkin and Pavlovsk are covered by Vitebsky.

There may be no toilets, but if you forgot to bring ice cream, band-aids or knife sharpeners a vendor might be wandering the aisle with just what you need.

Baltisky station QC-4, Nab. Obvodnogo kan. 120, MBaltiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 457 28 59, www.ozd.rzd.ru.

Finlyandsky station QE-1, Pl. Lenina 6, MPl. Lenina, tel. (+7) 812 436 67 46, www.ozd.rzd.ru.

Ladozhsky station QZanevsky pr. 73, MLadozhskaya, tel. (+7) 812 436 53 10, www.ozd.rzd.ru.

Moskovsky station QE-3, Nevsky pr. 85, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel. (+7) 812 457 44 28, www.ozd.rzd.ru.

Vitebsky station QD-4, Zagorodny pr. 52, MPushkinskaya, tel. (+7) 812 457 59 39, www.ozd.rzd.ru.

service@ispb.info

INFORMATION PAVILIONS 1000–1900

PALACE SQUARE • ST ISAAC`S SQUARE ALEKSANDROVSKY PARK • VOSSTANIYA SQUARE 0900–2100 • AIRPORT PULKOVO • MARINE FACADE (SEAPORT) 0900–1800 0830–1600 • RASTRELLI SQUARE

Offic 1000–1900 14 Sadovaya str., St. Petersburg, Russia, 191023 37 Sadovaya str., St. Petersburg, Russia, 190031

+7 (812) 310-2822

Public transport

All the train stations are located next to metro stations, so you simply need to step off the train and enter into the bowels of St. Petersburg’s underground system and find your way to the metro station nearest your destination.

Vitebsk (Vitebsky) station is the destination for trains from the Baltic States and Eastern Europe. Trains from Finland arrive at the Finland (Finlyandksy) station and Ladozhsky station, while Moscow (Moskovsky) station is the hub for Moscow bound trains. Long distance trains within Russia arrive and depart from Moskovsky and Ladozhsky stations. There are taxi stands outside every station and the drivers there usually charge less than the ones waiting to pounce on the station platforms. If you are arriving from midnight onwards be prepared for city transport difficulties. The metro system will be closed for the night, so better take a taxi.

Petersburg residents get around the city using a variety of transport options. The fastest and most efficient is the metro.

On above-ground transportation you can buy tickets from the conductor or driver (28Rbl for bus, tram, trolleybus) and up to 40Rbl for a marshrutka (mini-bus). All forms of transport work from around 06:00 to just after midnight. Official taxis are inexpensive by European standards and there is also the possibility of getting an ‘independent’ driver.

St. Petersburg’s metro is one of the deepest in the world and one of the most beautiful. Central stations and those on the red line are particularly impressive, featuring tons of Soviet symbology in bronze, glass and stone. It’s also fast and efficient and, during peak time, you won’t need to wait more than three minutes for a ride. The metro runs from 06:00 till around 00:30. First, you’ll need to buy a token (zheton).

Zhetons cost 31Rbl and can be bought from the window labelled kassa. There are five different metro lines, and to change lines, you usually need to change stations. There are underground passageways linking adjacent stations like Sadovaya/Sennaya Pl. and Nevsky pr./Gostiny Dvor. When you arrive at a station, it can be difficult to see the name of where you are. You will hear the arrival station announced, followed by the name of the next stop. This can be confusing, so it’s best to count your stops. In rush hour, the metro can get a bit hectic and it’s at this time you can see Petersburgers at their very worst: pushing, shoving and queue-cutting.

Buses and trolleybuses are another option and they have

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Arriving by train

+7 (931) 326-5744, +7 (812) 310-2231

WWW.ISPB.INFO, WWW.VISIT-PETERSBURG.RU

8 800 30 30 555 8 812 30 30 555

Welcome S nt Pe­rsb g!

the advantage of allowing you to take in the architecture of the city, sometimes very slowly and often over the leathercovered shoulders of a local commuter. Scrolling banners above the driver’s cabin will list the next destination. Many also feature pre-recorded announcements for the current and following stop. Routes are indicated on window placards positioned on the side of each bus and trolley.

The marshrutka is a mini-bus taxi which follows a fixed route. The marshrutka concept emerged in the 90s as a reaction to overcrowded public transport. These days, they go just about everywhere within the city and out to the suburbs. Sadly, they no longer run on Nevsky, which disconnects them from much of the centre. They have set departure points, but otherwise, when you see the number you want, just hail it down like a taxi. To pay, hand your fare (up to 36Rbl) to the driver or to the person in front of you.

When you want to get off, yell out loudly, ‘ostanovite pozhaluista,’ and the driver will come to a screeching halt.

TaxiS Taxis in St. Petersburg are relatively cheap. If you phone a legitimate taxi company, you’ll be quoted an exact price for the journey. Unfortunately, not all of these companies have English-speaking operators but in many big companies you can book a taxi online: Angel Taxi, (+7) 812 777 20 10, www.angel-taxi.com Taxi 068, tel. (+7) 812 068, www.taxi068.ru Taxovichkof, tel. (+7) 812 333 00 00, www.taxovichkof.ru October - November 2015

9

City Basics

Language Alcohol

useful phrases

The traditional Russian alcoholic drink is of course vodka. The most traditional way to drink it is straight as a shot, followed by a salty snack. Beer (pivo) is now the most popular alcoholic drink in Russia and Sovetskoe shampanskoe (Soviet champagne) is the national party drink. Take note that you cannot buy alcohol above 0,5% in shops between 22:00 and 11:00.

Health and Safety Russian drivers are your biggest danger, so cross roads carefully. In the winter icy streets and huge icicles can also pose a danger so watch where you walk. The city’s water is chlorine treated due to parasites and heavy metals, so you can use it to brush your teeth or wash fruit. For drinking or making tea, it is better to stick to bottled water, or clean the tap water with a filter and give it a good boil first.

Be on guard!

Avoid attracting unwanted attention by not speaking loudly in your mother tongue, or walking the streets if you have been drinking. If you are of African, Arab, or Asian descent exercise caution, particularly at night.

02 - Emergency hotline. If you have problems and don’t speak Russian it may be better to call the English language tourist helpine 8 800 303 05 55 and (+7) 812 303 05 55.

Registration Remember that you must be registered within 7 days of your arrival in Russia (excluding weekends and public holidays). Hotels are legally obliged to register you within 24 hours of arrival. Many travel agencies can also register you.

If you don’t get registered on time, you can expect serious problems when leaving, ranging from paying a fee, to missing your flight while officials interrogate you.

The Tourist Information office, Ul. Sadovaya 14, can help you file a police report. Your consulate can help you if your passport has been stolen. The police here generally look for any excuse to fine you, so photocopy your passport and visa. Make sure that you always carry a few photocopies; if the police stop you (they check Russians all the time too) then show them the photocopy rather than the original.

Climate

The national currency is the rouble (Rbl). Banknotes come in denominations of 50, 100, 500, 1,000 and 5,000. Rouble coins come in 1, 2, 5 and 10Rbl. There are 100 kopeks to a rouble and kopek coins come in 5, 10 and 50. It’s illegal to pay in dollars or euros. Find ATMs at most metro stations, banks and large hotels.

Russia in the autumn - rain, wind and then a little flurry of snow. In October Russia’s beautiful ‘golden autumn’ is usually fully underway as the trees start to turn beautiful shades of red, orange and yellow. By the time November arrives though snow will probably already be falling, mixed with the odd bit of icy rain, so stick to wearing layers, waterproof shoes and of course don’t forget your umbrella.

Foreigner Prices The ‘foreigner price’ is a hangover from the good old days of Intourist-organised Soviet travel. At some theatres and museums, foreigners are required to pay two to five times more than the Russian price. Ouch! These institutions insist that Russian tickets are subsidised with foreigners paying the ‘real price.’ If you have a document (propusk), which says you work or study in Russia, you can usually get the local price.

10 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

Temparature, oC Rainfall, mm

Money

Rain (max) Highest recorded temperature (oC)

Average temperature (oC) Lowest recorded temperature (oC)

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pocket dictionary: Bardak Bardak – In slang terms, bardak means chaos, mess and disorder. You might hear the expression bardak v golove which means chaos in the head. This can be a permanent state of affairs for someone disorganised or could be temporary, for example after a big night out when your brain is so pickled, you can’t think at all! Similarly bardak can describe your house after a big party or even St. Petersburg’s city streets after the Unity Day celebrations on 4 November before the army of cleaners go to work.

numbers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

odin dva tri chetyre pyat shest sem vosem devyat desyat

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

odinatsat dvenatsat trinatsat chetyrnatsat pyatnatsat shestnatsat semnatsat vosemnatsat devyatnatsat dvatsat

30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 500 1000

tritsat sorok pyatdesyat shestdesyat semdesyat vosemdesyat devyanosta sto pyatsot tysyacha

alphabet А Б В Г Д Е Ё Ж

A B V G D E YO ZH

З И Й К Л М Н О

Z I Y K L M N O

П Р С Т У Ф Х Ц

P R S T U F KH TS

Ч Ш Щ Ы Э Ю Я Ъ, Ь

CH SH SHCH Y E YU YA no sound

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Basic phrases No/Yes Hello Goodbye Thank you Sorry/excuse me Please I don't understand I don't speak Russian Do you speak English?

Help!

I need some help I don't want

Net/da Zdrastvuite Dasvidaniya Spasibo Izvinite Pazhalusta Ya ne panimayu Ya ne gavaryu pa-russky Vy gavaritye pa-anglisky?

Pomogitye!

Mne nuzhna pomoshch Ya ne khachu Mnye (ne) I (don't) like it nravitsa May I? Mozhno?

Do you have...?

U vas est…?

I don't know Ya ne znayu How much is it? Skolko stoit?

It's expensive!

Eta dorogo!

Bolshoy/ Large/small malenky Khorosho/ Good/bad plokho It hurts!

Bolno!

Today Sevodnya Tomorrow Zaftra Could you write Zapishite it down? pazhalusta Toilets Tualet Ostanavite Stop here please pazhalusta When? At what Kogda? Vo time? skolko?

What time is it? Katory chas?

Who? Kto? How do you say Kak skazat eto that in Russian? pa-russky?

No problem Bez problem Of course Koneshno Happy Holidays! S Praznikom!

Password Parol

Нет/Да Здравствуйте До свидания Спасибо Извините Пожалуйста Я не понимаю Я не говорю по-русски Вы говорите по-английски? Помогите! Мне нужна помошь Я не хочу Мне (не) нравится Можно? У вас есть...? Я не знаю Сколько стоит? Это дорого! Большой/ маленкий Хорошо/ плохо Больно! Сегодня Завтра Запишите, пожалуйста Туалет Остановите, пожалуйста Когда? Во сколько? Который час? Кто? Как сказать это по-русски? Без проблем Конечно С праздником! Пароль

October - November 2015

11

Culture & Events

Culture & Events Welcome to the cultural capital of Russia! After spending a day walking through the finest museums and historical locations, you can watch a play, ballet, opera, circus performance, rock or pop concerts any and every night you choose.

theatres Alexandrinsky Theatre QE-3, Pl. Ostrovskogo 2, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 312 15 45, www.alexandrinsky.ru.

Bolshoy Drama Theatre QD-3, Nab. reky Fontanky 65, MSennaya pl., tel.(+7) 812 244 10 71, www.bdt.spb.ru.

Maly Drama Theatre QE-3, Ul. Rubinshteina 18, MDostoevskaya, tel.(+7) 812 713 20 78, www.mdt-dodin.ru.

Mariinsky Theatre QC-3, Teatralnaya pl. 1, MSennaya pl., tel. (+7) 812 326 41 41, www.mariinsky.ru.

Mikhailovsky Theatre QD-2, Pl. Iskusstv 1, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 595 43 19, www.mikhailovsky.ru.

Grand Philharmonic Hall QD-3, Mikhailovskaya ul. 2, MNevsky pr., tel.(+7) 812 710 42 90, www.philharmonia.spb.ru.

Rimsky Korsakov Conservatory QС-3, Teatralnaya pl. 3, MSennaya pl., tel.(+7) 812 312 25 19, www.conservatory.ru.

Saint Petersburg Opera QC-3, Galernaya ul. 33, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 315 67 69, www.spbopera.ru.

october events 04.10 Sunday 20:00 Infected Mushroom Russians love psy trance and the love is clearly mutual! The kings of psy trance Infected Mushroom are on their way back to Russia this fall to drop sick beats and make the crowds go mental. After all, this is not just another flashy DJ project, this Israeli duo which puts on a proper show with live vocals, instruments and video effects, has earned itself a spot on the list of the top 10 global DJs according to the prestigious DJ Mag magazine.

So if that’s not reason enough to go and check out what all the hype is about then we don’t know what is.QD‑1, GlavClub, ul. Professora Popova 47, MPetrogradskaya, tel. (+7) 812 240 10 30, www.infected-mushroom.com.

Tickets 1,300 - 3,500Rbl.

12 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

15.10 Thursday 20:00 Within Temptation It’s been nearly 20 years since two Dutch friends Sharon den Adel (vocals) and Robert Westerholt (guitar) decided to found the symphonic metal band Within Temptation that would combine angelic and melodic female vocals with metal-driven guitar screams that send your fantasy on a wonderful and fantastic flight. Winning more than 20 prestigious music awards was not enough for Within Temptation and they continue to tour the world and create musical and lyrical joy for their fans. Recently they released a new album called “Hydra”, which will be presented to the St. Petersburg public on October 15th in A2 club.QD‑1, Club A2, pr. Medikov 3, MPetrogradskaya, tel. (+7) 812 309 99 22, www.within-temptation.com.

Tickets 1,600 - 5,000Rbl.

09.10 Friday 20:00 Mgzavrebi

concert halls and clubs Aurora concert hall QE-1, Pirogovskaya nab. 5/2, MPl. Lenina, tel. (+7) 812 907 19 17, www.aurora-hall.ru.

Club A2 QD-1, Pr. Medikov 3, MPetrogradskaya, tel. (+7) 812 309 99 22, www.a2.fm.

Club Cosmonavt QD-4, Bronnitskaya ul. 24, MTekhnologichesky Institut, tel. (+7) 812 303 33 33, www.cosmonavt.su.

Ledovy Dvorets QPr. Pyatiletok 1, MPr. Bolshevikov, tel. (+7) 812 718 66 20, www.newarena.spb.ru.

Oktyabrsky Grand Concert Hall (BKZ) QE-3, Ligovsky pr. 6, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel. (+7) 812 275 13 00, www.bkz.ru.

Sport Concert Complex (SKK) QPr. Gagarina 8, MPark Pobedy, tel. (+7) 812 378 17 10, www.spbckk.ru.

Yubileiny Sports Palace QC-2, Pr. Dobrolyubova 18, MSportivnaya, tel. (+7) 812 702 36 22, www.yubi.ru.

Zal Ozhidaniya QE-4, Nab. Obvodnogo kanala 118, MBaltiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 333 10 68, www.clubzal.com.

haven’t lost that spark and youthful angst: a killer performance, flashing strobe lights and ear-pounding ecstasy are all an integral part of the show.QLedovy Dvorets, pr.

Pyatiletok 1, MPr.Bolshevikov, tel. (+7) 812 703 40 40, www.theprodigy.com. Tickets 1,500 - 5,000Rbl.

Georgian vocals and singing style are world famous for their rich traditions of folk song and evolves constantly with the emergence of new talented artists, a perfect example being a little outfit called - get ready to get your tongue in a bit of a twist - Mgzavrebi. The translation is simple and perfectly reflective of their art: Wanderers.

They sing about everything in several languages (Georgian, Ukrainian and Russian) so you can pick which to sing along to and their on stage presence gives you a little taste of Georgia’s national flavour.QD‑1, Club A2, pr. Medikov 3, MPetrogradskaya, tel. (+7) 812 309 99 22, www. mgzavrebi.com. Tickets 1,000 - 4,000Rbl.

Godfather Musical

19.11 Thursday This fall residents of St. Petersburg will have the pleasure of relieving Francis Ford Coppola’s immortal drama in a completely new format - the musical show “Godfather. Live in Concert”. For the first time ever, this timeless masterpiece will come alive in HD on the big screen accompanied by a large symphonic orchestra playing away in BKZ “Oktyabrsky” on November 19th.

You will see the beautifully directed story of family values acted out by Marlon Brando and the young Al Pacino and hear the film’s now epic soundtrack originally composed by Nino Rota performed live, giving way to completely new emotions and interpretations of the scenes.QE‑3, Oktyabrsky Grand Concert Hall, Ligovsky pr. 6, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel. (+7) 812 303 33 33, www.bkz.ru. Tickets 1,200 - 6,000Rbl.

21.10 Wednesday 19:00 Him&the Rasmus Girls beware - Finland’s most famous heartbreakers are on their way together with…Finland’s other best-known heartbreakers! H.I.M. and The Rasmus - two of Finland’s finest, loudest and cutest rock bands - are teaming up to take St. Petersburg and Moscow by storm on October 21st and 25th respectively. It’s been almost ten years since they brought double trouble with their songs of love and loss, pain and happiness one after the other on one stage in Russia so their return is very much anticipated by their army of loyal fans and promises to be nothing short of grandiose.

QD‑1, Club A2, pr. Medikov 3, MPetrogradskaya, tel. (+7) 812 303 33 33, www.nca.ru. Tickets 2,750 - 8,800Rbl.

24.10 Saturday 20:00 Brit Floyd One of the most astouding musical shows based on Pink Floyd’s music is back in town very soon! Brit Floyd are coming on October 24th to St. Petersburg to present their new cosmic show “Space & Time” consisting of songs from five of Pink Floyd’s albums “Wish You Were Here”, “Animals”, “The Wall”, “The Division Bell” and “The Dark Side of The Moon”. Don’t miss a show that Québec Journal described as “a totally perfect and ideal illusion” and Portsmouth News branded “the show tribute that Pink Floyd deserve”.

This is the closest it will ever get to the real thing. QLedovy Dvorets, pr. Pyatiletok 1, MPr.Bolshevikov, tel. (+7) 812 703 40 40, www.britfloyd.com. Tickets 1,200 - 4,500Rbl.

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11.10 Sunday 19:30 The Prodigy The real fire starters are coming back to town so save the date for October 11th! This time around, the legendary gods of rave The Prodigy will be presenting their newest musical creation “The Day Is My Enemy” in St. Petersburg’s Ice Palace (not to worry, good old hits like “Voodoo People” and “Firestarter” will not be forgotten). Although they’ve been around for more than 20 years, their live shows st-petersburg.inyourpocket.com

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Culture & Events 25.10 Sunday 19:00 Fall Out Boy

The countdown has begun until the long-awaited and triumphant return of the kings of pop punk: on October 25th Fall Out Boy will grace the stage of St. Petersburg’s Ice Palace to present their banging new album “American Beauty/ American Psycho” (but not forgetting their old hits either).

If the band’s previous shows in Russia in 2007 and 2013 are anything to go by, this time too the crowd will go wild, nearly tear the roof of (in a good way) and sing in unison along to hits like “Thnks Fr Th Mmrs” - so don’t miss it!QLedovy Dvorets, pr. Pyatiletok 1, MPr. Bolshevikov, tel. (+7) 812 303 33 33, www.falloutboy.com. Tickets 2,200 - 3,500Rbl. 25.10 Sunday 20:00 Kosheen From Bristol with love...and drum ‘n’ bass! The legendary drum ‘n’ bass trio that conquered dance floors and charts worldwide already with their very first album “Resistance” is coming back to St. Petersburg yet again to give the city’s ravers an unforgettable dance experience. After a long period of silence Kosheen released two new albums “Independence” and “Solitude” and are ready to celebrate their 15th anniversary in style - don’t miss it!QD‑1, GlavClub, ul. Professora Popova 47, MPetrogradskaya, tel. (+7) 812 240 10 30, www. kosheenrecords.com. Tickets 1,300 - 2,500Rbl.

november events 07.11 Saturday 20:00 The Kooks How can one musically summarize the carefree and daring 2000’s? Put on The Kooks and voila. Or even better, go check them out live and feel that energy and drive that they rolled on into the present day. On November 7th, these new age Brit-poppers will spread the love and the riffs in support of their new album “Listen” in St. Petersburg’s A2 club. All members wholeheartedly agree that this album - a boiling and flavourful experiment that transcends musical genres - was the most important event in their lives and an extremely fun thing to present on stage.QD‑1, Club A2, pr.

Medikov 3, MPetrogradskaya, tel. (+7) 812 703 40 40, www.thekooks.com. Tickets 2,000 - 5,000Rbl. 14 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

Culture & Events 21.11 Saturday 19:00 Symphonic Rock Hits We all love hearing a good old rock hit cover. But have you ever heard Scorpions, Nirvana, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Doors, Queen, AC/DC, Metallica, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Muse, Uriah Heep, Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi and many others performed by a symphonic orchestra? If you’re intrigued come see “IP Orchestra” perform a grandiose and powerful show on November 21st at DK Gorky. Under the masterful direction by conductor Igor Ponomarenko, violins, cellos, contrabasses, drums and violas will sweep you off your seats with the raw energy and power of real legendary rock music!QDK im.

Gorkogo, pl. Stachek 4, MNarvskaya, tel. (+7) 921 369 72 78, www.ip-orchestra.ru. Tickets 1,000 - 2,500Rbl. 25.11 Wednesday 19:00 Glen Miller.

The Sun Valley Serenade For a fun evening infused with beautiful Glenn Miller compositions make sure to be at DK Gorky on November 25th because the hit musical “Glenn Miller. The Sun Valley Serenade” is coming to town. The show retells the great story of Ted Scott, a band pianist whose publicity manager decides that for good press the band should adopt a foreign refugee, a story full of love, laughter and adventure - all masterfully accompanied by Kronwerk Bass orchestra. You will hear all 20 original Glenn Miller compositions that featured in the film, including “Moonlight serenade”, “I know why”, “When you are smiling”, etc.QDK im. Gorkogo, pl.

Stachek 4, MNarvskaya, tel. (+7) 921 369 72 78, www. glennmillerorchestra.com. Tickets 1,000 - 2,500Rbl. 26.11 Thursday 19:00 Uriah Heep For one night only, Uriah Heep reunites with core members of the classic 1970s line-up, welcoming both Ken Hensley and Lee Kerslake to the Moscow Crocus iconic stage, to perform the band’s classic hits in a 2 hour set. Uriah Heep was the first Western rock band to perform in Russia and therefore have such a special connection with their fans here that they will also pay a visit to the Northern Capital on November 26th!

Originally founded by guitarist Mick Box in 1969, Uriah Heep is truly one of the pivotal classic acts that helped define the rock sound and an era, with classic songs like “July Morning”, “Lady In Black”, “Gypsy”, “Easy Livin” and “Stealin” full of ambition, sophisticated writing, memorable tunes and, of course, the vocals.QE‑3, Oktyabrsky Grand Concert Hall, Ligovsky pr. 6, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel. (+7) 812 275 13 00, www.uriahheep.com. Tickets 1,000 - 3,500Rbl.

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27.11 Friday 20:00 Limp Bizkit

Russian Rock

The cult nu-metal band Limp Bizkit that defined the sound of the new millennium is coming to Russia for its most massive tour of the country to date! Their new “Money Sucks” tour is heading to 20 towns from the Baltic Sea to the shores of the Pacific Ocean to present the band’s newest musical creation and celebrate its 20th birthday. Fred Durst and co. will be stopping in St. Petersburg on November 27th to give their fans their trademark performance full of brutality, heavy riffs and Fred Durst’s versatile vocals and singing styles.QSibur Arena, Futbolnaya al. 8, MKrestovsky Ostrov, tel. (+7) 812 303 33 33, www.limpbizkit.com. Tickets 2,500 - 7,000Rbl.

Russia’s love of real rock music shows no sign of letting up soon, especially not in the cultural capital. Legendary big players in the game like Mashina Vremeni, Pilot, Bi-2 and Naiv keep returning for sellout tour after sellout tour and names like Chicherina and Surganova & Orchestra keep the genre constantly refreshed. What seems like something of a takeover of the city’s great music venues tempts you with more than enough choice for a night of rock music to remember.

28.11 Saturday 20:00 Brainstorm Music knows no politics and the perfect example is the mutual love between Latvia’s most popular rock and their Russian fans. The St. Petersburg crowd can relate especially well to the band’s Baltic melancholy that romantically influences their music and lyrics. This time around our Latvian friends are making their way over the border to present their latest album “7 Steps of Fresh Air” and the St. Petersburg date has been set to November 28th. Seven steps and your lungs are full of fresh air, seven steps and the world is in front of you, seven steps and it’s Brainstorm.QD‑1, Club A2, pr. Medikov 3, MPetrogradskaya, tel. (+7) 812 309 99 22, www. brainstorm.lv. Tickets 1,800 - 3,500Rbl.

Buying concert tickets

16.10 Friday 20:00 Chicherina The New Wave of Ural rock is a genre in its own right and the queen that reigns over it is none other than Yulia Chicherina, who you will have the pleasure of seeing on October 16th. Over the past few years she and her band have kept somewhat of a low profile travelling and collecting inspiration for their most ambitious project to date, their first studio album in eight years “Skazka o Stranstvii i Poiske Schastya” (“A Tale of Wandering and the Search of Happiness”). It’s time to feast your ears on a truly remarkable rock experience.QD‑1, GlavClub, ul. Professora Popova 47, MPetrogradskaya, tel. (+7) 812 240 10 30, www.chicherina.com. Tickets 200 - 400Rbl. 16.10 Friday 20:00 Mashina Vremeni In 1984, Muscovites who wanted to see the band Mashina Vremeni (Time Machine) had to go to St. Petersburg but come 2014, the tables had turned. Now, after a two year break the legendary rock band that bent all the rules during the Soviet times of censorship are back to the Northern Capital to celebrate the its 46th anniversary! To mark this momentous event, on October 16th at A2 club Andrey Makarevich and co. will play the band’s best hits that stand for freedom of thought and expression, which raised several generations of Russian rockers.QD‑1, Club A2, pr.

Medikov 3, MPetrogradskaya, tel. (+7) 812 309 99 22, www.mashina.ru. Tickets 1,000 - 4,000Rbl.

Tickets for most events can be bought at ticket offices and kiosks (teatralnaya kassa), of which there are many in the city centre – they are usually very easy to spot as they tend to be plastered in posters for concerts and shows. Of course each venue also sells its own tickets and some venues such as the Mariinsky Theatre also sell tickets online. There are also a number of online services that allow you to reserve and/or buy tickets online and most of them offer delivery anywhere in the city for an additional fee. www.facebook.com/StPetersburgInYourPocket

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Culture & Events 17.10 Saturday 20:00 Pilot If you’re a fan of Russian rock band Pilot, you’re in for a real treat this fall as the band embarks on a tour de nostalgie where the guys vow to perform a set list consisting mostly of their old school hits that fans haven’t had the pleasure of rocking out to live for quite some time. Does that sound like something that will get you moshing? Then clear your calendar for October 17th, don your favourite leather jacket and make your way to St. Petersburg’s A2 club!QD‑1, Club A2, pr. Medikov 3, MPetrogradskaya, tel. (+7) 812 309 99 22, www.pilot. ru. Tickets 1,000 - 3,000Rbl. 31.10 Saturday 19:00 Tantsy Minus

Culture & Events 12.11 Thursday 19:00 Surganova&Orkestr They’re back! St. Petersburg’s sunniest rock band Surganova and Orchestra are coming to bring some sunshine and warmth to your life this cold, rainy autumn so save the date for November 12. This is no ordinary concert because this time around the guys and girls are celebrating their 12th birthday so you know it’s going to be a loud one at A2 Club consisting of rock, jazz, trip hop and electronic beats (or as the front woman Svetlana Surganova defines it “punk decadence”.QD‑1, Club A2, pr. Medikov 3, MPetrogradskaya, tel. (+7) 812 309 99 22, www.surganova.su. Tickets 1,100 - 4,000Rbl.

Tantsy Minus, the legendary band from the highest league of Russian rock, returns home on October 31st to play St. Petersburg’s largest club space - A2 club!

With Vyacheslav Petkun as the frontman since the band’s founding in the 90s, Tantsy Minus resists complacency and breathes new life into the domestic rock scene with every new release. Seeing the guys live is very much like witnessing your memories flashing before your eyes, making you feel joy, sadness and nostalgia simultaneously.QD‑1, Club A2, pr. Medikov 3, MPetrogradskaya, tel. (+7) 812 703 40 40, www.tancyminus.ru. Tickets 1,300 - 3,000Rbl.

17.11 Tuesday - 18.11 Wednesday 19:00 Bi-2 Bi-2 - so good they’re playing in St. Petersburg twice this fall! This Russian rock duo has been defining and re-defining the country’s rock scene since the late 90s and continues its musical journey with new unexpected twists and turns.

Upon their return to St. Petersburg on November 17th and 18th, Bi-2 are teaming up with a symphonic orchestra to take you away on a real ride where rock riffs and classical elements will intertwine to create a truly unforgettable musical experience full of emotions, melody and spirit.QE‑3, Oktyabrsky Grand Concert Hall, Ligovsky pr. 6, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel. (+7) 812 709 40 40, www.bdva.ru. Tickets 1,400 - 4,000Rbl.

01.11 Sunday 20:00 Naiv

20.11 Friday 20:00 Splean

Russian punk legends from Moscow Naiv are back after a four-year “creative break” and will be coming over to the Northern Capital to stir things up a little yet again on October 10th. So if you’re new in town and haven’t heard of them just yet, believe us: this is the punk event of autumn for you. If you happen to already be a fan, this upcoming gig is not the only good news. Apart from celebrating their 27th anniversary with a bang, Naiv are due to release their first studio album in 9 years. Coincidentally, it will be the band’s 9th studio album.QD‑1, GlavClub, ul. Professora Popova 47, MPetrogradskaya, tel. (+7) 812 240 10 30, www.naive.ru. Tickets 1, 000 - 3, 500Rbl.

Veterans of modern Russian rock, Splean know a thing or two about putting on a wicked fun show that gets everyone singing along. But this time the band took a new and informal approach to creating its concert program. Unlike their last concert program “Resonance” that featured complex sound, video and light elements, “Rai v Shalashe” (“Heaven in a Tree House”) takes us back to the band’s roots. It’s a sort of summary and a chronological adventure throughout which fans will enjoy material not performed live in years - or ever. Come and remember your youth together with Splean on November 20th.QD‑1, Club A2, pr. Medikov 3, MPetrogradskaya, tel. (+7) 812 309 99 22, www.splean.ru. Tickets 2,500 - 8,000Rbl.

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20.11 Friday 20:00 Leningrad Russia’s most famous bad boy Sergey Shnurov and his trusty punk/ska/raggae ensemble Leningrad are known for their wild show with their controversial and on-the-edge songs. They are also known for never repeating themselves so when they play in their home town on November 20th they will do so with a brand spanking new program “eI UKHnem”. What this means we’re not sure but by the sound of it it may be connected to the spontaneous Russian holiday that does not know any concrete dates and always begins unexpectedly, when the stars, mood, friends and desire all align. As always: an unforgettable shenanigans-filled show is guaranteed.QLedovy Dvorets, pr. Pyatiletok 1, MPr.Bolshevikov, tel. (+7) 812 703 40 40, www.leningradspb.ru.

Tickets 1,200 - 4,500Rbl.

Exhibitions 02.10 Friday - 08.11 Sunday Heavenly Maya One of Russia’s towering artists, ballerina Maya Plisetskaya, left us earlier this year. Having lived until the age of 89, she had a very long and inspiring life that the St. Petersburg State Museum of Theatre and Music aims to fully unravel with a new exhibition titled “Heavenly Maya”. This project also looks at the interaction between theatre and fashion as was initially prepared with the active participation of the ballet goddess herself for her 90th jubilee. Instead, “Heavenly Maya” will honour her memory and all the beauty she gave to the world.QE‑3, Sheremetevsky Palace, nab. reky Fontanky 34, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 571 21 95, www.theatremuseum.ru. Open 11:00 - 19:00, Wed 13:00 - 21:00. Сlosed Tue. Admission 60 200Rbl.

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Rosphoto exhibitions ThrOUGH 18.10 Sunday Photoarcheology From the early 1970s one could notice the increasing number of European artists developing the subject of memory.

That trend reached its peak during the period of search for self-identification of the Eastern Bloc countries and the collapse of the Soviet Union. At that time two main approaches to the studying of the subject of memory were introduced: artists tried to consider and perceive the history and the past within the frames of collective memory or they lived through the feeling of personal loss of the recent pass. Some of the young Leningrad-based photographers made those approaches their own. The State Museum and Exhibition Center ROSPHOTO presents the exhibition project “Photoarcheology” which is dedicated to the little-known movement in Saint Petersburg photography of the last decade of the 20th century.

ThrOUGH 01.11 Sunday The Roads of War

The State Museum and Exhibition Center ROSPHOTO presents an exhibition of photographs by Soviet war correspondents from the collection of ROSPHOTO. The display, which is titled “The Roads of War”, includes the works of the celebrated Russian photographers Emmanuel Yevzirikhin, Boris Kudoyarov and Ivan Shagin, as well as less renowned photojournalists. “The Roads of War” is a photo chronicle, which comprises photographs, taken by war correspondents on the way of the Red Army across the Soviet Union and Europe. From the walls of Moscow and the streets and squares of Leningrad the roads of war lead the viewers together with the depicted characters to Bryansk and Pskov and via Byelorussia, Ukraine, Latvia and Poland to Germany.

QD-3, The State Russian Centre of Photography ROSPHOTO, Bol. Morskaya ul. 35, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 314 12 14, www.rosphoto.org. Open 11:00 19:00, Thu 11:00 - 21:00. Admission 100Rbl. October - November 2015

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Culture & Events Erarta exhibitions Through 13.12 Sunday Romero Britto: The Formula of Success Art can make you look at things differently, it can give you the strength to take off”, - says the famous Brazilian artist Romero Britto, whom critics already refer to as a “pop-art icon” of our generation. His unconventional style that The New York Times described as “radiating warmth, optimism and love”, coupled together with bright colors and a sense of humor, brought this naturally talented artist worldwide success. This is the first-ever exhibition of the world-famous pop-art icon in Russia.

Through 16.11 Sunday Marina Fedorova: Prolonging the Summer From September 16, Erarta presents “Prolonging the Summer”, a solo exhibition by Marina Fedorova. The idea of this series came to the artist while working at a plein-air arranged by the international fund “Cultural Heritage” in Montenegro, where the first works were created. Together with the traditional oil paintings on canvas, the exhibition features glass works and sculptures. Fedorova’s style ideally conveys a cheerful, trouble-free and light summer mood, which is sometimes so needed on a cold autumn day. Airy strokes outline the artist’s favorite subjects: children, beautiful women, and parenthetical glances of the summer pleasure moments. As always, Marina Fedorova is looking for beauty in everyday life, extracting emotionally intense moments from the daily routine.

Through 13.11 Friday Yakov Chernikhov: Geometry Codes Yakov Chernikhov is a Soviet architect, painter, graphic artist, and a theorist of architecture. His graphics, especially the works of the 1920s-1930s, significantly influenced development of modern architecture and design, making him one of the most outstanding and dramatic figures in this sphere. The large-scale exhibition at Erarta will feature over 170 works of Yakov Chernikhov, including architectural models based on his original drawings. Considering the weighty contribution of Yakov Chernikhov to the development of world contemporary architecture, graphics and design, the exhibition has not only cultural but also historical value.

QB-3, Erarta Museum and Galleries of Contemporary Art, VO, 29-ya liniya 2, MVasileostrovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 324 08 09, www.erarta.com. Open 10:00 - 22:00. Closed Tue. Admission 450Rbl. 18 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

Culture & Events 14.11 Saturday - 30.01 Saturday Golden Generation. Modernism in Finnish Architecture and Design “Golden Generation. Modernism in Finnish Architecture and Design” at the State Hermitage Museum introduces the public to the history of architecture in Finland as well as modern designs and solutions of the country’s urban planners. Until the 19th century Finnish architecture was dominated by Swedish and Russian influences. Then, a real revolution occurred as the Finns embarked on creating their very own architectural language. Today, Finland is home to many famous architecture firms such as “Lahdelma & Mahlamäki Architects” and “K2S”.QD‑2, The State Hermitage, The General Staff Building, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 710 90 79, www.hermitagemuseum. org. Open 10:30 - 18:00, Wed 10:30 - 21:00. Closed Mon. Admission 600Rbl. Free entrance the first Thu of the month.

ThrOUGH 25.10 Sunday Contemporary Art in the Traditional Museum For the 13th time the “Contemporary Art in the Traditional Museum” Festival is turning artists into scientists. Every exhibition that you see at the festival is an artistic exploration of the topic of momentous discoveries in the microworld of the museum's space. “Hyper-local: Big Discoveries” presents the works of artists from around the world as a sort of investigation, an attempt to reach the micro-level and find one paradoxical element that becomes the symbolic center of the museum's space. One of the most interesting projects of this festival “Fabulous Beasts” by renowned British artist Simon Fujiwara. Don't miss it while it's on between September 26 and October 25.QDifferent venues, check the website for details, tel. (+ 7) 812 233 00 40, www. proartefestival.ru.

Photo of the year right here in St. Petersburg, in the home of a gay couple, just as a new anti-gay legislation passed in 2013. In his acceptance speech, Nissen spoke about photography as a form of activism; in this gallery, you can expect to be shocked, Ronghui Chen. 2015 inspired and challenged. 18+.

QE‑3, Loft Project Etagi, Ligovsky pr. 74, MLigovsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 458 50 05, www.loftprojectetagi.ru. Open 09:00 - 21:00. Admission Mon - Thu 09:00 - 15:00 100 300Rbl, 15:00 - 21:00 200 - 500Rbl; Fri - Sun 07:00 - 21:00 200 - 500Rbl. Mon - Wed 07:00 - 09:00 admission free.

ThrOUGH 15.11 Sunday Hellenic Heritage Greek culture influenced the development of European civilization. Its thanks to this ancient civilization that we have theatres, museums and science. Many originally Greek inventions are used even nowadays, e.g. the alphabet or Pythagoras square. To honour these contributions, the Museum of the History of St. Petersburg presents “Hellenic Heritage”, an exhibition about the heritage of antique Greece in St Petersburg. On display are engravings and photographs of well-known antique monuments, which were taken as a model for many of St. Petersburg’s sites.QD‑2, Peter and Paul Fortress, Petropavlovskaya krepost 3, MGorkovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 230 64 31, www.spbmuseum.ru. Open 11:00 - 19:00.

Tue 11:00 - 18:00. Сlosed Wed. Admission 50 - 80Rbl. ThrOUGH 22.11 Sunday Steve McCurry.

The moment of the insecurity.

ThrOUGH 28.10 Wednesday World Press Photo If just walking around St. Petersburg doesn't infuse you with a cosmopolitan air, visit the World Press Photo and feel more like a citizen of the world. The WPP contest selects the most outstanding pieces of photojournalistic and documentary photography in categories including Daily Life, Nature and Portraits. And don't worry about straying too far from home - Danish photographer Mads Nissen snapped the World Press

Born in a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, McCurry studied film at Pennsylvania State University and went on to become the first to bring the images of the Afghan conflict to the world. Since then, he has visited countless countries.

His work spans conflicts, vanishing cultures, ancient traditions and contemporary culture alike, always retaining the human element which makes his images so powerful. The exhibition at the State Hermitage Museum dedicated the photographer’s life and works includes eighty of his photo-

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graphs, one of them being his famous portrait of an Afghan girl that has been likened to Leonardo da Vinci's painting of the Mona Lisa and has been called "the First World's Third World Mona Lisa". QD‑3, State Hermitage Museum, Dvortsovaya nab. 34, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 710 90 79, www.hermitagemuseum.org.

ThrOUGH 01.12 Tuesday The Human Body On September 18th the new exhibition space “Konyushennaya 2” unveiled its innovational education project “The Human Body” for the 2nd time. More than 500 exclusive objects dedicated to the way the human body is built are on display for both children and adult to see and learn from. “The Human Body Exhibition” takes us on a lifechanging journey through our most important possession - our endlessly fascinating body and provides a three dimensional look deep inside those systems - skin to bones, head to toe - all with a focus on helping us make more informed decisions about healthcare and lifestyle.QD‑2, Konnyushennaya pl. 2, MNevsky pr., tel. (+ 7) 921 887 70 22, www.telocheloveka.ru. Open 11:00 - 20:00, Thu 11:00 - 21:00. Closed Mon. Admission 250 - 450Rbl.

ThrOUGH 31.12 Thursday Russian "Lefty" Anatoly Konenko was the first to begin pursuing the art of micro-miniature in Siberia in 1981 and by 1996 he was entered into the Guinness Book of World Records for creating the world's smallest book. Konenko's works (which number more than 200 by now) often reference Russian fables and fairy tales; some of his most famous creations include "The Savvy Flea", "The Grasshopper Violinist" and "A Caravan of Camels in the Eye of the Needle". He has become known throughout Russia as the Siberian “Lefty” - come and see his miniature beauties for yourself!QD‑2, Peter and Paul Fortress, Petropavlovskaya krepost 3, MGorkovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 230 64 31, www. spbmuseum.ru. Open 10:30 - 19:00.

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Feature

Features

Imperial patronage always ensured that ballet in Russia remained a vigorous art form. Successive tsars invited foreign ballet masters develop the art. The history of the Russian ballet consists of the gradual absorption of this foreign knowledge by the Russians themselves until the art became indigenous.

It was Frenchman Charles-Louis Didelot that really took ballet in Russia to the next level and is to this day considered the “father of Russian ballet”. His productions were seen at the St. Petersburg Bolshoi Theater, later becoming the Kirov Ballet and now it is the legendary Mariinsky Ballet. In 1828 Didelot created the Prisoner of the Caucasus from the poem by Alexander Pushkin (1799-1837) thereby laying one of the first

foundations of Russian ballet through the choreographic illustration of national literature.

By the early 20th century Russia became an exporter of ballet and a trendsetter in this graceful art form.

The Ballets Russes was a ballet company founded in the 1909 by Sergey Diaghilev, an enormously important figure in the Russian ballet scene. The headquarters of his ballet company was located in Paris, France. A protégé of Diaghilev, George Balanchine, founded the New York City Ballet in 1948. Today, the Kirov Ballet company (now known as the Mariinsky Ballet) and the Bolshoi company are two world-renowned Russian ballet companies that tour the world.

Apart from visionary directors and breath-taking productions, Russia has also produced some of the greatest ballet dancers of all time. One of them, of course, is Maya Plisetskaya who would have celebrated her 90th anniversary this year but left us just six months before what would have been a very joyous event for her and her fans.

Coming from a family that was heavily involved in theater in the arts, it was almost her destiny from birth to go on to become a prima ballerina. It was her tumultuous childhood riddled with terror, war and dislocation that made her seek refuge from reality in ballet and the Bolshoi Theater.

Plisetskaya studied under the great ballerina of the Imperial School, Elizaveta Gerdt, and first performed at the Bolshoi Theater when she was just eleven. In 1943, at the age of eighteen, Plisetskaya graduated from the choreographic school and then joined the Bolshoi Ballet, where she performed until the age of 65.

As a member of the Bolshoi until 1990, her skill as a dancer changed the world of ballet, setting a higher standard for ballerinas both in terms of technical brilliance and dramatic presence. As a soloist, Plisetskaya created a number of leading roles, including Moiseyev’s Spartacus (1958); Grigorovich’s The Stone Flower (1959); Aurora in Grigorovich’s The Sleeping Beauty (1963); Alberto Alonso’s Carmen Suite (1967), written especially for her; and Maurice Bejart’s Isadora (1976). Among her most acclaimed roles was OdetteOdile in Swan Lake (1947). A fellow dancer stated that her dramatic portrayal of Carmen, reportedly her favorite role, “helped confirm her as a legend, and the ballet soon took its place as a landmark in the Bolshoi repertoire”. Her husband, composer Rodion Shchedrin, wrote the scores to a number of her ballets.

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A little history Ballet in Russia traces its roots back to the times of the second Romanov ruler Tsar Alexis Mikhailovich (1629-1676, reigned from 1645) and this interest continued after Peter the Great took the throne in 1682 by bringing in Western dances to his court and even taking part in them himself.

With the help of his prisoners from the Swedish wars – the Swedish officers – he taught his courtiers. Soon this love for ballet spread throughout Russian society, especially the noble classes who, often living so far away from the capital, commanded their own entertainment, setting up ballet troupes often composed of serfs who had been trained at the Imperial School.

The formal beginning of ballet in the country, however, happened in the form of a letter written in 1737 to the Empress Anne (1693-1740, reigned from 1730) by the teacher of gymnastics at the Imperial Cadet School. This request was granted on May 15, 1738 and the first Russian school of dancing was given two rooms in the Old Winter Palace, later to become the St. Petersburg Imperial Ballet School.

Apart from visionary directors and breath-taking productions, Russia has also produced some of the greatest ballet dancers of all time. One of them is Maya Plisetskaya

Theatre in St. Petersburg It’s not for nothing that Russia has earned itself the reputation of the world’s ballet capital. Although ballet in Russia was initially created by foreigners, it is most definitely “Russian”.

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Features Having become “an international superstar” and a continuous “box office hit throughout the world,” Plisetskaya was treated by the Soviet Union as a favored cultural emissary (although her early years were marked by political repression partly because her family was Jewish). Although she toured extensively during the same years that other dancers defected, including Rudolf Nureyev, Natalia Makarova and Mikhail Baryshnikov, Plisetskaya always refused to defect. Beginning in 1994, she presided over the annual international ballet competitions, called Maya, and in 1996 she was named President of the Imperial Russian Ballet.

Throughout her lengthy career the award-winning ballerina worked with the leaders of top-class world choreography – Maurice Béjart, Roland Petit, Alberto Alonso and Yury Grigorovich, performing all over the world. Even until her final days, this towering Russian artist preserved her ability to mesmerize and marvel loyal admirers worldwide.

With all this in mind, you couldn’t possibly come to Russia’s cultural capital and not see any of its vast array of theater, music and dance, and with season openings everywhere now is the time to catch an unforgettable show at an unforgettable venue.

Mariinsky Theater

The heart of the city’s ballet scene beats within the walls of the Mariinsky Theater. Opened in 1860, it was home to premieres of works by many of the Russian greats, like Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky and Rimsky Korsakov, and now enters its 233rd season. On the site of an Equestrian Circus, which burnt down, the architect Albert Cavos designed a new opera and ballet theater to be the largest in the world with a capacity of 1,625. Appointed as the home of the Imperial Ballet in 1886 after the Bolshoy Kamenny Theater was deemed unsafe, the theater was lavishly renovated and was home to many of the premieres from the master choreographer Marius Petipa. Originally named after Empress Maria Alexandrovna, wife of Tsar Alexander II, the theater was known as the Kirov Theater throughout most of the Soviet era, but changed to its present name in 1992, the State Academic Mariinsky Theater. The world renowned conductor Valery Gergiev has presided over affairs there since 1988, with a stream of almost constant concerts meeting the Russian public’s high demand, and these days juggles the role with Principal Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra making him one of the busiest and certainly best travelled conductors around today.

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Features

Those looking for a classic Mariinsky experience will head to season opening on 25th September with an entire of evening of ballets by Michel Fokine (Chopiniana, Le Spectre de la Rose, The Swan and Scheherazade). The playbill for this season is rich as ever, with the most timeless of classics – Swan Lake – planned for several of the evenings. Inspired by the ballet writing of Delibes, Tchaikovsky composed most of the ballet in just one year, using the idea of Leitmotif, famously made popular in Wagner’s operatic writing, to bring out distinctive melodies weaving the story together.

Despite the premiere in 1877 being something of a flop, the ballet’s enduring popularity means it will surely never leave the Mariinsky. More from the revered Tchaikovsky comes in the form of the opera Eugene Onegin, the Kirov’s own 1982 version, with helpful English subtitles to guide you through the full length of this Russian masterpiece. Alexander Gorsky’s classic 1900 choreography of the ballet Don Quixote, with music from Ludwig Minkus returns to the Mariinsky this autumn, as well as Tchaikovsky’s classic Nutcracker, with Vasily Vainonen’s 1934 choreography, and the Marius Petipa version of Giselle, with music from Adolphe Adam.

In recent years, the Mariinsky has begun to colonize the surrounding area - the sleek contemporary walls of glass which peer out behind the back of the main theater constitute the hall’s sparkling new younger brother, the Mariinsky II. The hall’s interior curves back in a horseshoe shape from the main stage with clean lines and wooden paneling, and the fantastic new acoustics and technology have been picked up on by all reviewers. The bright interior breathes elegance over a crowd enjoying a glass of pre-concert champagne and the performances themselves range from classic repertoire to more contemporary works completely at home in the setting.

The Mariinsky II proudly presents its own new version of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, premiered in February 2014 as a co-production with the National Centre for the Performing Arts (Beijing). A marriage of the music of the

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celebrated Russian composer Rodion Shchedrin and the choreographer Aleksey Ratmansky appears once on the Mariinsky II’s new playbill, with the 2010 choreography of the ballet Anna Karenina, based on the Tolstoy novel, and the ballet The Humpbacked Horse, which premiered at the Mariinsky in 2009. A production of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, premiered at the Mariinsky in 2005, will run several performances over the autumn, ranking seventh of the most performed operas worldwide. The new addition to the family, the Mariinsky II, ought not to overshadow the Mariinsky Concert Hall just a stone’s throw away on Ulitsa Dekabristov however - a world class chamber concert hall in its own right. Opened in 2006 on the site of the hundred year-old set workshops for the Mariinsky Theater, which burnt down, the hall’s contemporary interior makes for the finest acoustics while retaining the old facade which survived the fire. The hall is on a plain with top class contemporary concert halls worldwide, such as Berlin’s Philharmonie, the Birmingham Symphony Hall and the Lucerne Concert Hall, and caters to the demands of a Mariinsky program now spilling over three venues.

The hall as usual features high profile acts from around the world as well as the resident Mariinsky orchestra, where classic Wagner Galas and Russian favorites are the stars of the show. Benjamin Britten’s opera A Midsummer Night’s Dream returns to the Concert Hall after its premiere there in 2011. Entering the standard repertoire soon after its premiere in 1960, it is an exponent of Britten’s very specific subtle style while not overtly dissonant.

Mikhailovsky Theater

Mikhailovsky in 2009, and a production based on Marius Petipa’s revival of the ballet Le Corsaire, with music from Adolphe Adam. Choreographer Nacho Duato’s 2012 ballet ‘Multiplicity. Forms of Silence and Emptiness’ tells the story of Johann Sebastian Bach’s life, where modern choreography is combined with baroque music from the father of counterpoint and his choreography of Prokofiev’s sensational Romeo and Juliet will take place in November.

Karen Khachaturian’s children’s ballet Cipollino (starting early November) will no doubt be a popular Sunday hit for the younger generation.

St. Petersburg Opera

The St. Petersburg Opera Company, although a relatively young establishment, has been met with great acclaim and is now celebrating its 29th season. Finding a permanent home in an intimate mansion on Ulitsa Galernaya, the music is played in a divine and intimate setting of jaw dropping architecture. The first version of the mansion was built at the end of the 18th century, lavishly redesigned in 1876 and bought in 1880 by Baron Sergey Pavlovich von Dervis. October will include performances of classics like Carmen, Fruit of the Gods, La Bohème, Carmen and South Pacific.

Philharmonia The lavish luxury of the Mikhailovsky Theater echoes the elegance of the Mariinsky. With an admirable history from its founding in 1833, the Mikhailovsky can proudly declare itself one of Russia’s most distinguished music venues.

Named after Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich of Russia, the theater was established after a decree from Tsar Nicholas I and played host to visiting French companies until the Bolsheviks took power in 1917. In a somewhat contentious move, the Russian businessman Vladimir Kekhman was appointed as the Theater’s General Director, and fortunately poured 1 billion rubles into the theater’s refurbishment before winding up bankrupt in London in 2012.

Ballets of the coming season include Swan Lake, with the choreography of Mikhail Messerer, premiered at the

The dazzling white columns and glittering chandeliers mark out the Shostakovich St. Petersburg Academic Philharmonia as quite a space before the music even starts, and having seen the some of the finest performers from not only Russia but all over the world since the 1840s, the venue continues to offer high class performances. A busy forthcoming program includes chamber music, orchestral works and jazz, featuring many international acts and both of the hall’s residents, the St. Petersburg Philharmonic or Symphony Orchestras.

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Features Rimsky Korsakov Conservatory

Where to eat Bolshoy Drama Theater The Tovstonogov Bolshoy Drama Theater on Fontanka takes its name from Georgy Tovstonogov, the theater’s highly regarded director from 1956 to 1989, and is considered one of the finest theaters in Russia.

Pioneered by Maxim Gorky, Maria Andreeva, Alexander Blok and Anatoly Lunacharsky after the 1917 revolution, the Osobaya Drammaticheskaya Truppa (Special Drama Company) debuted in 1918 with the intention of staging classics for the masses, finding its permanent home at 65 Fontanka embankment at the former Suvorin Theater.

St. Petersburg is brimming with colourful, innovative and fun restaurants serving everything from traditional Russian to nouvelle cuisine. To be sure of getting a table, make sure to book in advance. Be aware that many restaurants morph into bars and clubs in the later hours of the evening, so make early reservations if you want some peace and quiet.

Tip for good service only - 10% is considered fair.

Our price guide is based on the average price of a main course: € - 0 - 400Rbl €€ 400 - 800Rbl €€€ 800 - 1,200Rbl €€€€ 1,200Rbl plus

Russian and Ukrainian Classical music remains as popular as ever in Russia, especially here in the cultural capital. A strong sense of Russian pride deservedly surrounds influential Russian composers like Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, Glinka, Rimsky Korsakov, Rachmaninov, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Stravinsky, Borodin and Scryabin, to only begin an even longer list. The beating musical heart is of course Teatralnaya Ploshchad, or Theater Square, presided over by the imposing master of ceremonies, the Mariinsky Theater, opposite which is the St. Petersburg Rimsky Korsakov Conservatory. The conservatory is home to around 1,500 students from Russia and abroad and was founded back in 1862 by the Russian pianist and composer Anton Rubinstein. Appointed as head of the institution in 1871, Nikolai Rimsky Korsakov’s legendary talent for orchestration and popularity as a composer with works including Scheherazade, Capriccio Espagnol and Russian Easter Festival Overture, mean that the conservatory has born his name since 1944.

Alexandrinsky Theater The title of oldest Russian national theater is one that the legendary Alexandrinsky Theater can boast, established on August 30 1756, the day of Saint Alexander Nevsky. Originally named after Alexandra Fyodorovna, wife of Nikolai I, the imposing structure was designed by the popular Italian architect, Carlo Rossi, who worked for most of his life in Russia, his legacy also including the bright white Yelagin Palace and Mikhailovsky Theater. The theater’s performance history practically runs as an A to Z of the nation’s great actors and directors, and premieres of great works from the likes of Aleksander Griboyedov, Aleksander Ostrovsky, and Anton Chekhov have all taken place there. To add to the venue’s star studded history and graceful architecture, the 250th anniversary of the theater in 2006 heralded the unveiling of a new renovation bringing with it 21st century technological capabilities to the historic venue.

Maly Drama Theater Taking upon its shoulders in 1944 the important burden of continuing the city’s theater productions at a time when most companies had been evacuated, the Maly Drama Theater started life humbly performing as and when it could without a permanent home. Gradually gaining support from the public, the theater began to gather momentum through the involvement of Lev Dodin in 1974, who served as the theater’s chief director from 1983 and artistic director from 2002. Also going by the name ‘Théâtre de l’Europe’, tourists will be pleased to know that English subtitles are often on offer here. The theater regularly participates and holds workshops in theater festivals around the world, and Dodin himself has taught at St. Petersburg State Theater Arts Academy from 1969 and holds the position of head of stage direction department.

Idiot With numerous rooms filled with comfortable and cosy antique furniture, eclectic titbits and reading material in English and Russian, Idiot is worth visiting just for the atmosphere. Here you can taste a variety of traditional Russian dishes, with a decent selection of vegetarian food and a reasonable kids menu. However many people come to Idiot simply to absorb the atmosphere, and to drink. Guests are given a complimentary mini-shot of vodka, while the cordial English speaking staff hand you the Dostoevsky inspired menu.QC-3, Nab. reky Moiky 82, MSadovaya, tel. (+7) 921 946 51 73, www.idiot-spb.com. Open 11:00 - 01:00. €€. PTASW

SYMBOL key

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Caviar Bar and Restaurant Cool marble envelops the intimate dining space atop the first tier of the Grand Hotel Europe’s elegant staircase, but the impeccable service is as warm as the flickering candles. The Caviar Bar and Restaurant subtly and unquestioningly proves that the culinary arts also have a home in Russia. Not surprisingly, caviar makes many appearances on the menu, but never one that is out of place. You can try the Kamchatka crab in champagne sauce, or the delicious Beef Stroganoff, but only after touring your way around the heavenly hors d’oeuvres, while sampling the vodka recommended by the city’s only vodka sommelier.QD-3, Belmond Grand Hotel Europe, Mikhailovskaya ul. 1/7, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 329 66 22, www.caviar-bar. com. Open Wed - Sat 12:00 - 23:00, Sun 17:00 - 23:00. €€€€. PALEW

P Air conditioning

A Credit cards accepted

E Live music

S Take away

T Child-friendly

W Wifi

V Home delivery

L Guarded parking

G Take note that it is not allowed to smoke

in the restaurants and cafes in Russia

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Where to eat Katyusha Want to be transported past the Ural mountains without leaving Nevsky Prospekt? Just ask for “Katyusha”! This restaurant is designed to mimic a typical Cossack house down to the finest details: waitresses in flowery bell sleeves dresses embroidered with delicate white lace, jars of jam tied with twine and even travnaya rospis’ - natural motifs - carved into the wooden bar. The menu is full of classic Russian dishes including juicy kotleti patties and a fine selection of blini pancakes, savory or sweet.QD-3, Mal. Konyushennaya ul. 9, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 640 16 16, www.ginza.ru. Open 12:00 until last guest. €€. PTASW Mama na dache “Mama na Dache” is located in the middle of Nevsky pr. This “fast food” restaurant can accommodate over a hundred people and its interior decoration will make you feel like at a real Russian Dacha and not in the center of the city! In the menu you will find popular dishes from different regions of Russia and a varied selection of very tasty shashlyks with a very fair price policy. If you want to feel the wind, take a breather out in their nice outdoor terrace.QE‑3, Nevsky pr. 88, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 273 15 94. Open 24hrs. €.

P­T ­A ­S ­W NEP NEP is a delightful cabaret den which pays glorious homage to the sultry swinging 1920s. The atmosphere is cosy and warm, softly lit with candles so you can settle back, order your meal and be enthralled by the music, often featuring a charming, personality-packed star singer. They offer an array of delicious fish and meat dishes, all exquisitely presented and served. If you’re sitting close to the performers, it is likely you’ll find yourself part of the night’s entertainment.QD-3, Nab. reky Moiky 37, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 571 75 91, www.neprestoran. ru. Open 12:00 - 01:00, Mon, Tue 12:00 - 23:00. €€.

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Where to eat Russkaya Ryumochnaya No.1 Typically, a ryumochnaya is a stand-up, spit-and-sawdust kind of a place where working men wash down cheap vodka with salty snacks. This sophisticated fin-de-siècle inspired place is as far away from that kind of establishment as you can imagine. This is Russian food fit for tsars, complete with black caviar and reindeer meat. The historic dishes are rich and well made, making this a very recommended introduction to Russian cuisine. They also have possibly the biggest vodka list we've ever seen, as well as a vodka museum!QC-3, Konnogvardeisky bul. 4, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 570 64 20, www.vodkaroom. ru. Open 09:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 24:00. €€.

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Dve Palochki This chain of superior Japanese food restaurants is practically ubiquitous around the city, especially in the centre.

Luckily, the restaurant’s high level of service and comfort is also standard across the board. In the menu you will find not only traditional sushi rolls, soups and teas, but also delicious classic Panasian, Italian and American dishes. The unique restrooms are still a bit of a mystery: two toilets in one cubicle - what’s that about? With more than 25 locations in the city, including Italianskaya ul. 6, Nevsky pr. 47 and 96, it’s almost difficult not to conveniently run across one during your stay in St. Petersburg.QD-3, Nevsky pr. 22, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 335 02 22, www.dvepalochki.ru. Open 11:00 06:00. €. PTAVSW

Sadko “Sadko” is the name of a figure in a medieval Russian tale, so it’s no surprise that this restaurant will give you a taste of all that’s traditional and local. The menu includes beloved specialties like blini with caviar, borsch with fritters, and beef Stroganoff with mushrooms and meat cooked over hot coals. Yet the classic Russian elements here are balanced by other influences. The interior is designed in a modernist style, and European dishes can be ordered as well. There’s also a children’s room staffed by a nanny, making Sadko a good choice for family-friendly date nights.QC-3, Ul. Glinki 2, MSennaya pl., tel. (+7) 812 903 23 73, www.sadko-rst. ru. Open 12:00 - 01:00. €€. PTASW

Sintoho “Sintoho” is a mash-up of the city names Singapore, Tokyo and Hong Kong, so prepare for an intense Asian-fusion experience. If you’ve already tried Russian smoked and salted fish, the menu here will be refreshing, with exotic variations of tuna and salmon. A popular favorite is wasabi prawns, but don’t be afraid to try something totally new! Chef Leon Then innovates constantly, and the dishes here are delicious and beautifully curated. Check out the special room devoted to teppanyaki cooking, with acrobatic food preparation on an iron griddle.QD-3, Four Seasons Hotel Lion Palace St. Petersburg, Voznesensky pr. 1, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 339 80 00, www.fourseasons.com. Open 16:00 24:00. €€€. PAW

Tsar Tsar, as its name suggests, sets out to make its guests feel like real Russian royalty. Drinks are served in fine crystal glasses, old portraits of noblemen cover the walls and the toilets are even encased inside giant, leather-lined thrones. The Russian cuisine on offer is first rate - no doubt Nicholas II himself would have loved the Pozharskaya cutlet a la Pushkin. The staff, food and atmosphere here is a real lesson in imperial elegance.QD-3, Sadovaya ul. 12, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 640 19 00, www.tsar-project.ru. Open 12:00 until last guest. €€€.

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Asian and Indian Azia The AZIA is located in the Grand Hotel Europe where St. Petersburg’s oldest prestige hotel looks out onto Nevsky prospekt. This is pan-Asian cuisine in its truest sense, taking in the “3 Asias”: Southern, South-Eastern and Central.

Given the arsenal of over 150 spices at its command, expect a varied menu, which in spite of (or perhaps because of) its geographical reach is organised not by where the dish is from, but rather how it is prepared. Specialities include Singapore-style crab with chilli peppers, Tandoor-chicken with carrot and ginger, and steamed rolls stuffed with lobster and five spices.QD-3, Belmond Grand Hotel Europe, Mikhailovskaya ul. 1/7, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 329 60 00, www.grandhoteleurope.com. Open 12:00 - 24:00, Thu - Sat 12:00 - 01:00. €€€€. PALSW 26 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

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Tandoor Situated mere steps from St. Isaac’s cathedral, Tandoor is about as far away from bland Russian food as you can get.

For more than 20 years now they’ve been serving up real, authentic Indian fare and have won numerous ‘best restaurant’ prizes for their efforts. They have all the usual favourites so you can try a couple and share amongst your buddies, whilst mopping up every last dollop of sauce with the thick naan bread. With two spacious rooms, this place is ideal for dining in large groups.QD-3, Admiralteisky pr. 10, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 312 38 86, www.tandoor-spb. ru. Open 12:00 - 23:00. €€€. PTASW Tse Fung Tse Fung is not your average New York take-out shop. This high-class restaurant’s name translates into the Chinese word for “pheonix”, and the interior here takes some inspiration from a firebird, with tasteful gold accents, rich upholstered red chairs, and feather-thin wallpaper prints.

Tse Fung is modeled on its Swiss forerunner in Geneva, and chef Chris Rusaban received his training there. His extensive experience working in Chinese cuisine yields a strong menu of iduck, beef, pork and chicken dishes.QE-3, Ul. Rubinshteina 13, MDostoevskaya, tel. (+7) 921 932 33 33, www. tsefung.ru. Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PALSW

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food from former republics One of the unquestionable pluses of Russia’s Soviet past is the popularity of restaurants serving cuisine from former Soviet republics. Of these the most popular both with locals and visitors is probably Georgian, but there are also Armenian, Uzbek, Azeri and Kazakh places, as well as generalised ‘Caucasian’ cuisine which appears all over the place.

Although generally quite meat-heavy - a staple of Caucasian cuisine is the fabulous shashliky (grilled kebabs) which appear on every menu - food from this part of the world is also a good option for vegetarian visitors, making use of the vegetables and pulses native to that part of the world. Particularly popular dishes include Georgian khachapuri (cheese-stuffed bread), satsivi (chicken in walnut sauce), khinkali (giant meat-filled dumplings) and lobio (red bean stew with spices, herbs and pomegranate seeds), Uzbek plov (rice with lamb) and lagman (thick noodle and meat soup and Armenian dolma (stuffed grape-leaves).

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Where to eat russian cuisine Traditional Russian food is rich and stodgy peasantfare with a dash of French inspired creamy sauces and other scrumptious flavours. If you are wondering what that green grass stuff is, it’s dill (ukrop) and it usually finds its way into everything.

Bliny and snacks Snacks (zakuski) are very popular and include all manner of pickled things as well as small open sandwiches (buterbrod). Pancakes (bliny) are very popular and may come with savoury fillings such as ham (vetchina), caviar (ikra), cheese (syr), mushrooms (griby) or sour cream (smetana) or with sweet filling such as honey (myod) or condensed milk (sgushchonka).

Soups and salads Russians are big on soup and there are literally hundreds of different kinds. The quintessential Russian soup is of course the beetroot and beef based borsch.

Ukha a fish soup often made with salmon or trout is another favourite as is the heavy meaty ‘hunters’ soup Solyanka.

Russian salads invariably have mayonnaise in them and are a permanent feature on any menu. The classic Russian salad is Olivye - boiled potatoes, carrots, peas and eggs, pickled Cucumbers with either cheap spam ham or something luxurious like lobster, sturgeon or crayfish. Selyodka pod shuboy which translates as ‘herring under a fur coat’ is another popular salad consisting of layers of pickled herring, boiled potatoes and beetroot.

Main dishes Pelmeni - boiled dumplings stuffed with meat and served with sour cream. Varenki are the same but stuffed with vegetables or sweet fillings. Uzbek versions (manty) are slightly bigger and often steamed, while the Georgian versions (khinkali) are huge and eaten with the hands.

Beef stroganoff - a Russian classic, famous across the world. Kotlety - little meat patties usually made with minced beef (govyadina) or pork (svinina). Frikadelki are meatballs and similar in taste but made with rice and meat and usually served with a sauce.

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Where to eat Beer Restaurants Craft Brew Café Craft Brew Cafe is within walking distance of nearly every top site in the city center, but you’ll want to make this your last stop of the day, given the extensive drinks selection and slow service. Go for something simple: Craft Brew Cafe does street food and beer best. Try some local St. Petersburg drafts, or sample a cider named after Vasilievsky Island. This is an especially good place for young people, with live DJ music and 24-hour service on weekends.QD-3, Mal. Morskaya ul. 15, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 921 938 91 93. Open 11:00 - 01:00, Fri, Sat 24hrs. €€. PAESW Farsh & Bochka Believe it or not, it’s finally here! A hip yet unpretentious pub for bearded guys as well as the managerial types that serves about 30 different sorts of craft beers that the owners have personally tried and vetted, hand-made sausages out of real meat and the prices really don’t bite - that’s Farsch & Bochka, right in the city center. You can’t miss it! And you really shouldn’t miss it if spending quality time in a quality bar with quality beer and quality food is your idea of a great evening out.QE-2, Ul. Belinskogo 11, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 941 51 70, www. beercard.ru. Open 17:00 - 24:00, Sat 12:00 - 02:00, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. €€. PNS Fiddler’s Green The term “Fiddler’s Green” refers to a sailor’s paradise, and indeed this pub has a merry, maritime feel. Bottles of Jameson’s, Laphroaig and Jack Daniels sit on the shelves, and signs like “Nobody’s perfect except the Captain” and “No Bloody Swearing” decorate the walls. The bar is the center of attention: the bartenders have a lot of space display their craft, mix drinks and talk to customers. Check the menu before you go inside: Fiddler’s Green is unique for its daily updated, single offering of one dish plus drink pairing of the day.QE3, Ul. Rubinshteina 5, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 325 65 00. Open 14:00 until last guest. €€. PAE Mollie’s Irish Pub St. Petersburg’s first Irish pub, located just off Nevsky on one of the city’s best bar and cafe streets, Mollie’s offers just what you would want from an Irish pub, if not more: lots of different beers, truly good food and music (although it might be a bit loud for an intimate conversation).

The regulars are a well-mixed crowd: Russians, expats and the occasional tourist. The environment is very welcoming; come with a big crowd, as a pair, or just by yourself and you’re sure to quickly feel right at home.QE-3, Ul. Rubinshteina 36, MVladimirskaya, tel. (+7) 812 570 37 68, www.molly.su. Open 12:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 03:00, Sun 12:00 - 01:00. PASW

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Palm Belgian Brasserie Located smack in the centre of the city, just off Nevsky, the Palm is a convenient and comfortable place, notably if you appreciate beer and comfort food. Their bottled Trappist beer selection is impressive and the Whitte Trappist we tried on tap was excellent. If you’re looking for something satisfying and Belgian to snack on, make sure to order one of their Belgian waffles with your choice of sweet or savory toppings.QD-2, Bol. Konyushennaya ul. 29, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 571 81 51, www.palminspb.ru. Open 11:00 - 03:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 06:00. €€. PAS Pivnaya Karta With over 400 different kinds of craft and imported beers, this is a unique place in St. Petersburg. Standing in the New York-style interior, you’ll find yourself being helped by the bar’s professionals to find the specific kind of beer you like, or will learn to love. Don’t be put off by the minimal food menu. This place is about what really matters – beer. All beers can also be purchased to take away.QE-2, Ul. Vosstaniya 55, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 273 93 78, www.beercard.ru. Open 12:00 - 23:00. €. PAS Sibirskaya Korona The “Siberian Crown” restaurant takes its role of being a Russian pub very seriously. National pride is a big decorating principle here: a little model (complete with lights and trains!) of Russia’s regions takes up the bar, and beautiful slideshows of the country flash in map-shaped displays.

A generous drinks selection includes a refreshing cheery beer, creative cocktails, homemade spirits and many different Happy Hour-style deals.QE-3, Nevsky pr. 66/29, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 966 79 10. Open 12:00 06:00. PASW Stargorod At this Czech brewery, every order of pivo (beer, that is) is accompanied by an hourglass that counts off remaining minutes of freshness. To keep a steady hand and try all four varieties (lager, desyatka, wheat and black) while they’re still ‘lively’, bring a couple of friends and go for the set of 200ml samples. Your stomach also get its fill from the generous meat menu and crunchy bar snacks.QD-3, Kazanskaya ul. 7, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 319 00 30, www.stargorod.net. Open 24hrs. €. PAESW

Khachapuri & Vino This Georgian cafe on a quiet corner of Sotsialisticheskaya ul. executes its chic concept well while remaining laid-back and warm. Bleached walls, bronze accents and woven patterns hit all the right cultural notes, and the menu also doesn’t make any compromises, offering exclusively classic Georgian fare (except for a mysterious “Georgian Snickers”).

Here you can try everything from the salty mineral water Borjomi, a range of leavened khachapuri, and pomegranate wine, and get a solid dose of the spice adzhiki, fresh herbs and beans in this cuisine.QE-3, Sotsialisticheskaya ul. 10/9, MZvenigorodskaya, tel. (+7) 952 232 25 43. Open 11:30 24:00, Fri, Sat 11:30 - 01:00. €. PTASW

Chaikhona №1 Chaikhona offers an eclectic taste of everything to the East of St. Petersburg. The waiters are very friendly, the food is good and the restaurant is so large that you can sit comfortably wherever and however long you wish. The cuisine is “Pan-Asian,” and ranges from Ukrainian borscht to Japanese sushi. Early afternoon orders are 30% off, so hop a few escalators in the Galeria shopping centre to get here in time for lunch.QE-3, Galeria Shopping Centre, Ligovsky pr. 30, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel. (+7) 812 602 02 07, www.chaihona. ru. Open 10:00 until last guest. €. PTAESW

Mamalyga Just a stones throw from Nevsky, this restaurant offers you an assortment of food from the Caucasus region, including Georgian, Imeretian, Armenian, Adzharian, Megrelian, and the cuisine of Swaneti and Guria. Authenticity is a word that the owners use quite often to describe their food and it comes through in the food that is prepared by local (to the region) cooks. The menu features a mix of well-spiced (the food is not watered down for local consumption) shashliks, salads, khachapuri, and pretty much anything else you could want from the South Caucasus.QD-3, Kazanskaya ul. 2, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 571 82 87, www.mamaliga-mamaliga. com. Open 10:00 - 01:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 01:00. €€.

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Where to eat

Where to eat Pita’s Fancy a break from your busy day? Or want to taste classic street food reinvented? Then Pita’s is the place for you.

Pita’s offers versions of shawarma and falafel with the most inventive marriages of ingredients like mint and cranberry sauce, or cumin and sea buckthorn. Be sure to try their delicious desserts that are also shawarma stuffed with bananas fried in caramel! If you have more time do have a seat inside where the atmosphere is always friendly, relaxing, and you will often see groups of students or people just chilling. Also at Nevsky pr. 65 and in Galeria Shopping Mall.QD‑3, Gorokhovaya ul. 32, MSennaya pl., tel. (+7) 911 822 12 28. Open 11:00 - 23:00. €. P­A­S

European Сo-op Garage A café-garage in the best spirit of Brooklyn or Berlin, one of the most underground places of the city. Apart from its unusual place, the Co-op Garage has a varied choice of new tasty pizza recipes (like ham and peach). Their small pizzas blend perfectly with their delicious soups, e.g. the baked onion or cream of spinach with peanuts!

While waiting for the orders, take the opportunity to sip a drink in the cool of the night in their yard.QD‑3, Gorokhovaya ul. 47, MSadovaya, tel. (+7) 812 325 65 02. Open 16:00 - 24:00, Fri and Sat 12:00 - 02:00. €.

P­A ­W Mechtateli Located along the banks of Fontanka river, “Mechtateli” is about to become an unavoidable gastronomic place in St. Petersburg. This modest sized café offers creative dishes with products that are typical of different culinary traditions, and has an extensive coffee menu. The attentive team can make you different sorts of coffee and also provide you with a short course about coffee.

Wine amators will be happy too: choice of fifty different wine at the best quality/price ratio and the most representative of the entire wine world!QE‑2, Nab. reky Fontanky 11, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 921 761 31 55, www. thedreamerscafe.ru. Open 08:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 08:00 - 02:00. €€. P­A ­S ­W Mozhno Enter this whimsically decorated space and prepare to be transported to a new kind of dining experience. The menu is designed according to the diet principles of French nutritionist, Pierre Dukan. However, non-dieting customers can simply choose dishes at will and, likely, will not be disappointed. Be prepared for innovative preparations of classic protein-heavy foods - lots of fish and fowl, as well as beef tongue and tender leg of lamb - served with whole grain purees, fruits and vegetables. Beautifully arranged and amply sized plates will leave you satisfied and smiling.QE-3, Ul. Marata 16, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 926 26 16, www.mozhno-est.ru. Open 12:00 - 23:00. €€.

PASW 30 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

Soup Wine Five tables with bar stools are all you will find in this sleek and pleasant diner. The menu is as small as the place itself, boasting a simple yet tasty choice of soups and salads, but also a selection of fresh juices, pasta and wine and huge salads that come in bowls piled high with green leaves. Given the restaurant’s size and how easy it is to sit and linger, listening to the operatic soundtrack, it is definitely advised to book a table in advance.QD-3, Kazanskaya ul. 24, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 312 76 90, www.supvino.ru. Open 12:00 - 23:00. €. PASW Sunduk Sunduk is a restaurant with a style of its own. Tightly packed into two small chambers, the restaurant is crowded with memorabilia of the weird, the wacky and the wonderful. The bizarre collection creates a quirky and lively atmosphere. Live music aids digestion while this smoothly running restaurant is overseen by the resident cat who ensures everything is in order. This quaint restaurant offers a great atmosphere and stands out as being something different on the St. Petersburg scene. A dinner at Sunduk can turn into an entire evening of good company, and good music.QE-2, Furshtatskaya ul. 42, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 272 31 00, www.cafesunduk.ru. Open 10:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 24:00. €€. PASW

Fine dining Astoria Café Breathe history while dining at the newly renovated, freshly decorated Astoria Café. The hotel in which this restaurant is located has seen over a century of history. This history can be felt inside, and not just through the old pictures of dancers of the famous Mariinsky theatre. The modern interior and cuisine, with a mix of trendy recipes and traditional Russian dishes, makes for a perfect relaxed lunch or dinner after roaming the city. We recommend their signature dishes, especially their ‘Pavlova’ dessert, which is named after the famous ballerina. It is made from meringue, and is so light that it can be enjoyed after any amount of food.QD-3, Hotel Astoria, Bol. Morskaya ul. 39, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 494 58 15, www.thehotelastoria.com. Open 07:00 - 24:00. €€€. PTAEW st-petersburg.inyourpocket.com

Palkin Palkin is as historic as they come, dating all the way back to 1874. Although restoration did take place, the interior is as sophisticated and tasteful as it was in Imperial times, which adds to the feeling that you are being treated to a meal in some rich aristocrat’s home. The menu is bursting with luxurious foie gras, angus beef, truffles, black caviar and game moulded into historic French/Russian recipes from a bygone era. They also offer a seasonal five-course special menu with specially selected wines, themed around a different wine-growing region of the world.

Booking in advance is recommended.QE-3, Nevsky pr.

47, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 703 53 71, www.palkin. ru. Open 12:00 - 23:00. €€€€. PTAESW

International Arka The soft lighting, exposed brick and sky-lights create a chic, yet cosy ambience where you can sit and forget about life for a while. A 13-meter bar and an impressive selection of unusual cocktails make it an ideal place to meet up with friends or business partners for after-work, or pre-going out drinks. The menu includes a grill section with sets that are meant to be shared, as well as other traditional dishes prepared in an untraditional way, like the cappuccino mushroom cream soup. And their kitchen is open until 06:00 in the morning! The prices are reasonable compared to similar high-class bars and you are guaranteed to leave with a good impression.QD-2, Bol. Konyushennaya ul. 27, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 339 89 39, www.arka.spb.ru. Open 09:00 - 06:00. €€. PAEGSW Gastronomika You will be surprised to find such a vibrant place on the sixth floor of the shopping center Olympic Plaza. With views over the romantic rooftops of St. Petersburg and the ever-impressive Nevsky prospekt, welcoming, professional and friendly staff, you would think the food is not its main attraction. This could not be further from the truth; here everything is designed to excite your taste buds!QE-3, Stremyannaya ul. 21/5A, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 640 16 16, www.ginza.ru. Open 11:00 - 23:00, Wed - Sat 11:00 - 01:00. €€. PTASW Koryushka Koryushka is a Georgian restaurant on Zayachy Island located in the oldest part of the city - the Peter and Paul Fortress, also a main tourist hotspot. The location affords great views of landmarks across the river, including the Winter Palace, and the restaurant makes the most of this fact, with lots of windows and terraces, giving the place a spacious feel.

The staff are helpful, and although the menu highlights fish dishes, there are also shashlik and salads available, as well as a decent range of drinks. It’s the perfect spot to sit and enjoy the view after visiting this historic area of the city.QD-2, Peter and Paul Fortress 3, MGorkovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 917 90 10, www.ginzaproject.ru. Open 12:00 until last guest. €€. PTALVESW www.facebook.com/StPetersburgInYourPocket

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Where to eat Vegetarian Vegetarianism appeared in Russia in the 14th century through the followers of the Lenten mode of life. In the beginning of the 20th century St. Petersburg had a blooming vegetarian culture. However, the revolution of 1917 stopped all that as it was considered to be a reflection of bourgeois ideology. Nowadays it’s again slowly becoming popular. While your friends may think that eating only potatoes and mushrooms for a couple of weeks will do, for a pleasant meat free stay in St. Petersburg you need more nutrition.

Botanika Excellent vegetarian food including outstanding salads (try the tabouleh), great pasta and filling soups. Reminiscent of a Victorian dining parlour with greenery scattered with a touch of a 70s wholefood cafe. The interior sports three calming tones of green, there are pumpkins and flowers strewn around and the sofas are soft.

QE-2, Ul. Pestelya 7, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 272 70 91, www.cafebotanika.ru. Open 11:00 00:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 01:00. €€. PTASW Kashmir Don’t come here expecting your classical Indian cuisine.

It’s far too hippy for that. They do esoteric Indian vegetarian fare, complete with fresh fruit garnish though dill also seems to be considered a staple here, as does a cucumber and tomato array that is often quite out of place. They’ve got samosas and dahl, raita, soy steaks and a lot of dishes we can’t pronounce.QE-3, Bol. Moskovskaya ul. 7, MVladimirskaya, tel. (+7) 812 575 63 69, www.chainiydom.ru/cafe/kashmir. Open 11:00 until last guest. €. PAVESW Ukrop This quaint vegetarian cafe is a nice place to relax and grab a healthy meal that won’t break the bank. On the first floor there is a counter where you can order already prepared food for a quick bite and on the second floor is a full-service restaurant.

Its interior with books on the windowsills, green plants and waterfalls creates a refreshing atmosphere that leaves you relaxed when you leave. The friendly waiters bring complimentary mint water to each guest and explain the menu, which includes vegetarian, vegan and raw food options. And, for those of you who are artistically inclined, feel free to draw with the colored pencils that sit on each table! Also at Mal. Konyushennaya ul. 14, ul. Vosstaniya 47 and 7-ya liniya 30.QE-3, Ul. Marata 23, MVladimirskaya, tel. (+7) 812 946 30 36, www.cafeukrop.ru. Open 09:00 - 23:00. €. PTALSW 32 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

Where to eat MaCarena A lesson in how to make a sophisticated yet comfortable and accessible Spanish/Italian restaurant. Through the Chilli-tunnel entrance the interior continues to warm with soft woods and dim lights. Red meats, fish and rice dishes dominate this hearty menu, but vegetarians will also find a lot of delicious options. They have a big selection of soups - a spicy tom yum here is definitely one of the best we’ve tried. There is a long list of cocktails and of course Spanish and Italian wines. And last but not least - they have three kinds of business lunches - Spanish, Italian and their famous Macarena lunch - a lot to choose from! Live music every Friday and Saturday.QMoskovsky pr. 206, MMoskovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 906 39 00, www.macarenabar.ru.

Open 24hrs. €€. P­A­V­E­S­W Mansarda Turn into the building signposted with Gazprom’s headquarters and head for the lift in the left side of the blindingly sleek Quartro Corti business centre. You will be greeted six floors up with a candid view of the nearby golden dome of St. Isaac’s Cathedral. The cuisine is as crisp and modern as the restaurant in which it’s served and shouldn’t disappoint even the most discerning guests. Classic European tastes dominate, though Asian influences are also given some attention and the fresh fish based dishes in particular come highly recommended.

QC-3, Pochtamtskaya ul. 3, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 946 43 03, www.ginza-mansarda.ru. Open 12:00 until last guest. €€€. PTALVESW Moskva This restaurant’s rooftop location, on the 6th floor of the upscale Nevsky Centre, draws in a well-dressed crowd of wealthier diners looking to soak up the coveted view. The interior is done out in various shades of cream with comfortable furniture in muted colours. Potted plants brighten the place up, as does bowls of fresh fruit at the open, central cooking stations. Another member of the Ginza Project family, the kitchen keeps high standards: while the menu looks over ambitious, hitting all corners of the globe with sushi, pizza, Russian classics and continental mains - the food is definitely well-made.QE-3, Nevsky Centre Shopping Centre, Nevsky pr. 114, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel. (+7) 812 937 64 97, www.moskvavpitere.ru. Open 10:00 01:00. €€. PTALVSW

Stroganoff Steakhouse If steak is your thing, a visit to this deluxe ranchhouse, perfect for the modern sophisticated cattleman, is sure to satisfy. The rich leather upholstery, the green bankers lamps, the sepia pictures from the bygone era are nothing compared to the delicious food. The steaks are the main attraction, but the buffalo wings and everything else on the menu are also worthy support acts to the main steak event.QC-3, Konnogvardeisky bul. 4, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 314 55 14, www.stroganoffsteakhouse.ru. Open 08:00 24:00. €€€€. PTAVESW Terrassa Terrassa features an open kitchen, stylish interior and wonderful views from the sixth floor that almost make you feel like you’re in the sky. The menu is almost shockingly gargantuan: each turn of the page is like discovering a new restaurant. A short list of the cuisines on offer include Georgian, Russian, Thai, pan-Asian, sushi, pastas, pizzas, salads, seafood, and soups: you name it and they seemingly have it on the menu. The resident DJs make this restaurant almost feel like a club, but the music is not overpowering.QD-3, Kazanskaya ul. 3, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 937 68 37, www.terrassa.ru. Open 11:00 - 01:00, Sat, Sun 12:00 - 01:00. €€€. PALVESW The Square Transfiguration Cathedral’s domes are tucked away in a green, quiet circle off Liteiny prospekt, but all this roundness doesn’t stop The Square. This “bistro” is a comfortable place to settle down, with a warm gray and off-white interior, pale ceramic dishes and black-and-white photographs of architectural details decorating the walls. Concept-chef Fabriccio Fatucci is hard at work in the back, inventing creative, careful arrangements that delight all the senses (and also the imagination), and appear in the menu under two simple categories: “Hot” and “Cold”. With its reasonable prices, quality wine menu and calm location, The Square is a lovely choice for lunchtime.QE-2, Manezhny per. 2, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 921 76 67, www.thesquare.spb.ru. Open 09:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 24:00. €€. PTAS

Italian

Pryanosti & Radosti This is a very cosy and already extremely popular restaurant. The tables are spaced close to each other and a quiet conversation looks like it will be impossible, but somehow it all works. You feel like you are in a busy, fun and thriving atmosphere. The menu includes European delicacies, Russian favourites and of course traditional Caucasian meals thrown in to spice things up. Also at Mal. Posadskaya ul. 3 (metro Gorkovskaya), 6-ya liniya 13 (metro Vasileostrovskaya) and Moskovsky pr. 191 (metro Moskovskaya).QE-2, Ul. Belinskogo 5, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 640 16 16, www.ginzaproject.ru. Open 12:00 - 01:00. Open 24hrs. €€. PTAVESW

Jamie’s Italian Admirers of the legendary chef Jamie Oliver should except the usual high standards of cuisine and service: the menu offers traditional Italian dishes using recipes made by Jamie and his mentor Gennaro Сontaldo. The pasta is made from Italian flour and farm eggs and is prepared right before your eyes, while the rustic bread is made according to original recipes and is baked in special ovens. The wine list is mainly Italian, and almost every wine is available by the glass. Lovers of a festive Italian atmosphere are exactly the type of people this place has in mind - it is quite noisy, with a lot of visitors, a large team of servers, and cooks hard at work in the open kitchen.QD-2, Konyushennaya pl. 2, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 600 25 70, www.jamieoliver.com/italian/russia/st-petersburg. Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€. PTALVGSW

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Jerome Want to eat at a place that’s on the map? Whether you were just at the Hermitage, Admiralty Square or St. Isaac’s, you won’t have any trouble navigating to Jerome on Bolshaya Morskaya street. Many of St. Petersburg’s facades were designed to resemble the Italian originals, and this restaurant, too, is infused with Italian flavors. The menu features some Roman Holiday classics like Penne siciliana, salmon carpaccio and pizza with aubergines and Scamoza cheese. And if you like to pair your wines with cheese and such, Jerome will do it for you: any wine bottle order comes with a complimentary platter of hummus, romesco sauce and bruschetta.QD-3, Bol. Morskaya ul. 25, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 314 64 43, www.probka.org. Open 09:00 24:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 24:00. €€. PTASW Marcellis Marcellis is a chain of welcoming Italian restaurants with a simple style that reflects the usual images of Italy - jars of condiments and olives here, an Italian meat and cheese case there - although it’s the tables full of noisy dinners that really make the atmosphere authentic. The pared-down menu tends towards pastas and risottos in marathon-runner-sized portions. The dishes pop with garlic and the delicious sauces are infused to the bursting point with tomato, chili and basil.

Featuring an open kitchen, Marcellis offers diners yet another great opportunity to eat quality Italian food in the heart of the centre. Also at Nevsky pr. 21 (metro Nevsky pr.), ul. Vosstaniya 15 (metro Pl. Vosstaniya), Alexandrovsky park 4/3 (metro Gorkovskaya) and Moskovsky pr. 205 (metro Moskovskaya).

QD-3, Nevsky 43, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 984 41 44, www.marcellis.ru. Open 24hrs. €€. PTASW Palermo Palermo is a cosy restaurant a stone’s throw from Nevsky pr. and ul. Rubinshteina. The restaurant is decorated in Italian style with frescoes giving you views of Italian beaches below. The muted, pale blue lighting is reminiscent of dusk. The soundtrack of classic movies plays softly in the background, putting you instantly into a relaxed frame of mind. In keeping with the Italian décor, Palermo offers a Mediterranean menu with healthy salads, plenty of olives and lean meat. Business lunch 12:00 - 16:00, 230Rbl.QE-3, Nab. reky Fontanky 50, MDostoevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 764 37 64, www.palermospb.ru. Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€. PTAESW October - November 2015

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B 10 Dom knigi (Book house): One of St. Petersburg’s best 1 St. Isaacs Cathedral:6Built from 1818 to 1858 and cost 3 74 purchase price of Alaska. The27cathedral’s K more than the bookshops. The building was designed for the Russian U 14 dome is 101 metres high. During the Soviet period the nection betweenOYthe branch of the Singer Sewing Machine Company.

The art 55 K O 8 PE Netherlands and Russia. Shut down L. L OKOLN S CH cathedral was turned into the MuseumUof was constructed in 1902-1904.U A L . the History of in 1926, it now housesR.a number of cultural organisations. LOMONOSOVA nouveauKHbuilding L. YA OV PERBAA Religion and Atheism and Faucault’s E 39 K AYPendulum was hung PL. R DOSTOEVSKAYA .

S 11 6 Stroganov Palace: built inA the late baroque style in 11 Gostiny dvor: One of the as evidence that the EarthZrotates 7 AN around Uthe L . Sun and PR LO A exist. You can KUZNinE the 15 Ploshchad AK therefore that God couldKnot in the 19th cenoldest shopping malls Vostaniya YA visit both the 1753-1754, the interiors were remodelled 7 MO .

59 T C A L H E N K U SIN of aristocratic NO Vcathedral and the columns (a separate gostiny dvor is worth a Y PER. (Uprising Square): was origi- 7 LEZ NS ticket) which give tury. The Soviets 40 world, VLADIMIRSKAYA 38 turned it into a museum SO PE ISTO you89wonderful views of the city. DA 13 4 R 15 life.

It is still used as a museum. visit.

Full of boutique shops, it has nally named after a nearby V 7 B R H AU A .

AZ SADOVAYA R been reconstructed several times church which was pulled down SHOPPING L G7 M .

53 D 8 7 was the Winter Palace of the SENNAYA PL. 13 CENTER and replaced with the Oktyabr- IRG 16 2 Hermitage: The Hermitage 7 St. Catherine’s Basilica: This ZH RA1 since the original building in the AM BO 71 GALERIA YA 9 0 7 Catholic church inR RusSV but still retains its Russian tsars and is now one of Russia’s leading museums.

It’s PL. 1 E is the oldest skaya Hotel. The square’s new ORO ZY 18th century SENNAYA 2 BU OD ECappearance.

FIM EZneo-classical D L . collection includes works from pretty much all of the leading sia.

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In 1985 an obelisk was K Y AU . DN 3 PL. AY 13 YA U see it toPER century French collection. The Winter Palace as toUpre-Soviet centralisation. placed in the centre of the square to celebrate the 40th A U 1 OR12O Arts square: is a monument L. 91 high. .

L. B. It was run by various monastic YA we 7 3 A A 0 115 G L day was largely constructed under Catherine the5 Great in the orders over its history. It was closed The square gives your access to The Russian Museum, the anniversary of the end of World War II. The square is a vital V N A .

Z Y DO stormed by the mid to late 18th century. The buildingAwas Ethnographic Museum, the Maly Opera and Ballet Theatre, transport hub with the Moscow Railway Station, a metro EK and ransacked in 1938. The church S 4 4 the Large Concert Hall of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic.

YR Bolsheviks during the November Revolution of 1917. returned to active service in 2003. station and a bus station all adjoining it.

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Where to eat RESTAURANTS IN HOTELS Astoria and Angleterre

Astoria Hotel knows that the arrival of autumn is not the most anticipated of events that’s why the brand chef of Astoria Café David Ayrault has prepared something extra special for you. Firstly, autumn is mushroom and pumpkin season so expect lots of imaginative dishes containing that. Secondly, the new a la carte menu boasts some fresh. Take your 5 o’clock tea English or Russian style from now on at the Hotel’s Rotonda Hall or wait for Thursday to welcome in Friday with the “Almost Friday” happy hour at Angleterre Hotel. Business lunches run every weekday from noon till 15:00 and live music is on every Friday and Saturday.

Hotel Astoria QD-3, Bol. Morskaya ul. 39, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 494 57 57, www.thehotelastoria.com.

Angleterre Hotel QD-3, Mal. Morskaya ul. 24, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 494 56 66, www.angleterrehotel.com.

Grand Hotel Europe Exciting news from Belmond Grand Hotel Europe if you’re a fan of Asian food: on October 5 the hotel’s AZIA restaurant launches an Asian culinary festival with four guest chefs. Guests will feast upon colorful exotic specialties, enjoy exclusive master classes and take part in creative wine pairings. Every week, Executive Chefs of four Belmond hotels in Asia will pass on the culinary baton from one to another, presenting signature specialties of their countries: spicy dishes of Myanmar, the multifaceted tastes of Indonesian cuisine, hot Laotian fare rich with vegetables and the sweetish tastes of Cambodian cuisine famous for its meat specialties and desserts. Also save the date for November 19 because

Where to eat that’s the night of the Gala Dinner with Deutz Champagne where the prestigious cuvé «Amour de Deutz Rose» will be introduced in the art nouveau setting of L’Europe restaurant accompanied by a five course menu for guest chef from Belmond La Residencia Hotel in Mallorca Guillermo Méndez. belmond Grand Hotel Europe QD-3, Mikhailovskaya ul. 1/7, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 329 60 00, www.grandhoteleurope.com.

Novotel From 20th until 30th of November Novotel presents its French specialties’ and young “Beaujolais Nouveau” wine.

Once again Novotel invites to its traditional annual culinary festival of world renowned French cuisine. Come and try such classics as terrins and pâté, green lentil salad with marinated artichokes and yellow beets, char grilled vegetable salad and duck confit, crusted halibut with vegetable ragout, proscuito wrapped pork tenderloin and Provençal filling. And of course legendary Crème brûlée and amazing tarte Tatin! Do not miss the city most famous Beaujolais Nouveau Party in Novotel St. Petersburg Centre on November, 19th, at 20:00. Our typical French “Machon Lyonnais” – a great buffet with Lyon’s sausages, cheeses, quiches, dry and smoked sausages, pâté and Bayonne ham, salad Lyonnaise, Bressanne salmon, beef Bourgignon, roasted chicken Lyonnaise, cod in Beaujolias wine, beef filet à la Plancha, fried potatoes Barboton and much more with an exciting clinking of glasses of Beaujolais Nouveau wine! Live music

by Chance-On Manouche band will be a perfect backdrop for the party and will make this gastronomical feast truly unforgettable.

Novotel St. Petersburg Centre QE-3, Ul. Mayakovskogo 3A, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 335 11 88, www.accorhotels.com/5679.

Interview with the chef Interview with David Ayrault, the brand chef of Astoria Café.

Please tell us something about yourself. I was born and received my professional training in France, alongside such masters of modern French cuisine as Pierre Gagnaire and Hélène Darroze. I moved to Russia 5 years ago and made a name for myself – I hope! – by working as head chef at Moscow’s “Honest”, one of William Lamberti’s projects. But really my heart lies in hotel restaurants because I began my career in Amsterdam’s 5* Amstel Hotel and then moved onto a small boutique hotel called Cannizaro House in Wimbledon.

In Moscow I got my big break as brand chef at Lotte Hotel’s Les Menus par Pierre Gagnaire restaurant. I really learned a lot by working at this restaurant and with Monsieur Gagnaire in his Paris spot because, after all, he’s the father of French nouvelle cuisine and molecular gastronomy. I then used this invaluable knowledge and experience to create something uniquely mine during my time at Honest in Moscow. I created my own dishes such as sea bass decorated with pistachios cooked with shallot onion, dried mushrooms and lime.

If you ask me what I prefer to cook and experiment with, I’d definitely say fish and desserts – I don’t combine the two We all know that good cooking is an art and real chefs like Alexander Dregolsky (head chef at Taleon Hotel) approach their jobs as a truly creative process. This is why his dishes have a very distinct and colorful taste and appearance. October’s specialties are no exception to this rule - almond-fried Kambala with vegetable sautee and pumpkin nectar (870Rbl) and baked beet and feta cheese risotto (410Rbl) are definitely a must for any discerning foodie this season.

Taleon Imperial Hotel QD-3, Nevsky pr. 15, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 324 99 11, www.taleonimperialhotel.com.

Taleon Imperial Hotel It’s that time of year when your body wants to forget the salads and get itself ready for the impeding winter.

Alexander Dregolsky, head chef of Taleon Hotel’s Victoria Restaurant, knows this all too well and in November is pleased to offer you the best of season: hearty onion soup with lentil and toasts (400Rbl) as well as homemade rabbit sausages with stewed cabbage and cowberry.

Don’t miss this scrumptious offer while it’s on throughout November!

36 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

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together, don’t worry! Also in our day and age people are more and more concerned about their figure so I tend to keep my dishes light and not use too much butter. Texture is key for me, as are all kinds of spices and seasonings like ginger, coriander, thyme, estragon, fresh herbs and a bit of lime or lemon juice.

What new dishes are you going to offer guests of Astoria cafe this fall? We’re really excited about our fall menu and we really hope our guests will find the following dishes positively delectable: marble Parmentier of duck marinated in soya sauce with apple crumble, roasted Kambala fish on potatoes and coriander mix with chanterelles and Shiitake mushrooms in chanterelle sauce, black Venere Risotto with chanterelles and Paris mushrooms in coconut sauce, cucumber and Daikon salad with coriander and peach mayonnaise.

Do you like Russian cuisine? What specific Russian dish would you recommend to foreign visitors of Russia? I really like the Russian homemade cuisine and the atmosphere of how it is cooked. My favorite dishes are okroshka soup, borsch (of course!), Beefstroganof, Kambala fish and I also like red caviar with butter and bread. And of course pelmeni and small pirogi!

What is your advice to people who want to become a chef? I would like to advise you to keep doing what you are doing with joy, to respect the team and the product, and, of course to be proud of what you have done. My personal credo is: honesty and a good mood.

Kempinski Hotel Moika 22 Starting from the first days of fall, the Bellevue Brasserie at the Kempinski will offer new dishes, which, like the world’s best paintings, highlight the charm, mystery and beauty of autumn – the most magnificent time of year. The mystery and magic charm of autumn, with its fog, rich colors and be easily imagined when a waiter serves Rack of Lamb at Bellevue Brasserie. The uniqueness of this dish is in the smoke surrounding it at the moment when it’s served, which brings out the flavors of forest brome, balmy venison and fresh vegetables when the dish is opened from its transparent glass cover. And that’s just the beginning so make sure to come and taste autumn’s finest for yourself!

Kempinski Hotel Moika 22 QD-2, Nab. Reky Moiky 22, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 335 91 11, www.kempinski.com/stpetersburg.

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Nightlife

Nightlife Dunes on Ligovsky A must-place during warm months! The location backs up against Moscow train station - not that you’ll hear many whistles or departure announcements what with the rock ‘n’ soul on the stereo, lively conversation and game playing going on around you. There are seating palettes and rugs for the sand, a decked patio with the more traditional picnic tables and chairs, blankets for everyone on chilly evenings and a bright, rainbowhued, retro-styled interior for inclement weather. As the day wears into night, the beers start to dominate and the laid-back atmosphere becomes positively boisterous. Excellent shashlik, grenki and hot dogs available at all hours.QE-3, Ligovsky pr. 50/11, MPl. Vosstaniya.

Open 12:00 - 03:00, Fri, Sat 24hrs. EW

The nightlife in St. Petersburg is brilliant. You can eat, drink and dance around the clock. The city has dimly lit jazz halls, groovy strip-clubs and a vibrant underground music scene.

Artsy and Underground Borodabar This hole-in-the-wall sized bar is a happy addition to St. Petersburg’s burgeoning underground bar scene. Despite its diminutive size the atmospheric Boroda (beard) bar still packs in the people and is bursting with the kind of atmosphere that wouldn’t be amiss in Berlin or Budapest. The homemade interior reflects the eclectic mix of clientele with industrial breeze blocks and exposed piping, graffiti by tattoo artists and reclaimed items of cheap furniture.

Staff are very friendly and the DJ sets are often very good.

QD-3, Kazanskaya ul. 11, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 923 89 40, www.borodabar.ru. Open 17:00 until last guest.

ESW Cafe-Bar Produkty Produkty’s owner apparently was inspired by those quirky little hole-in-the-wall sized bars that make the Berlin nightlife scene so legendary and in terms of both design and vibe the inspiration really shows. Produkty rocks its retro 1960s reclaimed furniture so well, that even the guests in their boho beards and fake spectacles, look like they also were brought in as part of the decoration. The music is of course old-school jukebox and retro favourites or new wave and post-rock synth-pop, while for drinks its cocktails which take forever to construct or bottles of beer. Just to make you feel extra special, you have to ring the door bell to get in.QE-3, Nab. reky Fontanky 17, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 312 57 54. Open 14:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 14:00 - 06:00, Sun 14:00 - 02:00. PAEW

Dva Mohito pozhalusta! – Two Mojitos please!

38 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

Cafe Stirka A small, alternative and unique hang-out; Stirka has a good sound system, old sofa’s and small bar serving cold and hot drinks and snacks. Water-smoking pipes available. You can wash your clothes in the back room laundry machines and sup a beer while you watch them spin - all in a smokefree environment. Terrace seating for the those who need a puff or just want to hang out in the (semi-)fresh air. Laundry services available.QC-2, Kazanskaya ul. 26, MSennaya, tel. (+7) 812 314 53 71, www.40gradusov.ru. Open 11:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 04:00. PEW

Bars and Pubs Chroniki Chroniki (Chronicles) bar on ulitsa Nekrasova attempts to merge the drinking cultures of a modern Scandinavian bar and a classic Leningrad ryumochnaya (the traditional Soviet-era watering hole). The stylish interior is very modern yet cosy, simple yet edgy, with white-tiled walls, brass windowsills, gilded antique Soviet chandeliers. The bar gives you a great view of the classic St. Petersburg architecture on Ul. Nekrasova. The preferred order at Chroniki is, as per tradition at a Leningrad ryumochnaya, hard alcohol. The numerous types of vodka include Russian, Finnish, Swedish and Danish variations.QE-2, Ul. Nekrasova 26, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 911 275 31 61. Open 18:00 - 02:00. Fri, Sat 18:00 - 04:00. PAW

Helsinki Bar This place is like a nostalgia trip to your familial home of the late 70s. Well, that’s the case if you are Finnish and your parents spun vinyl while slugging horseradish home-brew liquor. Quirkily retro with toilets wallpapered with vintage Finnish magazine adverts featuring the latest in polyester style and a cozy cabin atmosphere in the dining area, the menu is no less a mixture of swank and substance. There are classic Russian dishes such as kotleti, but with reindeer meat and the cod is delicately prepared with sublime wild rice. We recommend coming with friends and getting a smattering of the well-priced and gracefully presented starters to share over above-rate lager and the aforementioned in-house flavoured vodka.QC-2, Kadetskaya Liniya 31, MVasileostrovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 995 19 95, www.helsinkibar.ru. Open 12:00 - 02:00, Sat, Sun 12:00 until last guest. PESW Liverpool If Beatles covers are your thing, you’ll enjoy Liverpool - a pub with local bands playing British retro pop. Liverpool serves great food in large portions, has screens for sport events and quite a few beers on offer. Located just a short walk from Nevsky Prospekt it serves as a good place to relax, play pool and have beers with friends, while humming or singing along with your favorite songs.QE‑3, Ul. Mayakovskogo 16, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 579 20 54, www.liverpool.ru. Open 12:00 - 01:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 03:00. €€. P­A­W

Dead Poets This is a European style whiskey bar for those who want a more relaxed atmosphere. Dead Poets markets itself at the discerning connoisseur who would rather spend the evening sipping whiskey or wine and playing chess or backgammon than running riot in a bar. The choice of whiskey is impressive and accompanied by a delicious range of snacks. The bar plays soft background music and has an art nouveau interior.QE-3, Ul. Zhukovskogo 12, MMayakovskogo, tel. (+7) 812 449 46 56, www. dpoets.ru. Open 11:00 - 01:00, Fri - Sun 11:00 - 03:00. €€. PAW

Pirogi This bustling cafe-bar is one part bookshop, one part student hangout leaving the rest of the ample space for those people in the city who liked a relaxed atmosphere and fairly priced beer. The cute chequered tablecloths give Pirogi (meaning pies) its laid back cafe vibe, while the indie music and late open hours keep it in the bar bracket too. Nothing rowdy ever kicks off here, this is more the place for long chats over budget beer and pies and games of Jenga stretching off into the early hours.QD-3, Nab. reky Fontanky 40, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 275 35 58, www.piterogi.ru. Open 24hrs.

PAESW

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Terminal Bar Behind a long smooth bar stretching almost the whole length of the place, the wall reveals shelves groaning under the weight of just about any spirit you might fancy.

Fortunately without the reputation of the infamous New York City Terminal bar appearing in Martin Scorsese’s ‘Taxi Driver’, the space is popular with the trendy folk of the city spread across the bar stools peppered across the room. There is even a piano here for those who feel like entertaining. The bar staff with be sure to whip you up a cocktail, a simple glass of wine or a beer on tap, and excellent sandwiches are on offer if you get peckish.QE-2, Ul. Belinskogo 11, MMayakovskaya. Open 14:00 until last guest. €. PW Warszawa bar Despite its Polish name this small cozy bar is if anything more related to Prague and even this conclusion is solely based on the nationality of the offered beers. The topographic name doesn’t refer to anything Warsawian in particular but rather alludes to the relaxed ambiance of East European brasseries. During the day the place functions as a café with a small selection of snacks and by nights turns into a laid-back bar. The interior is minimalistic but so are the prices: treat yourself to some throat-burning Ukrainian pepper vodka, bittersweet Czech liquor or Polish traditional Zubrowka for a handful of Roubles.QD-3, Kazanskaya ul. 11, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 314 53 71. Open 10:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 04:00. PEW

nightlife - keeping safe A night out in St. Petersburg is an experience not to be missed. However, to keep it fun and safe, there are a few things to keep in mind. Always keep an eye on your jacket, your wallet and any documents you have with you – getting a new passport really ruins a holiday, especially if you’ve lost your wallet as well. Go out with friends, it’s more fun and means you can look after each other, and makes you a harder target. Take registered taxis and don’t just jump into any car. And although it might seem like a great way to finish the night, be careful whom you bring home – there are cases of people waking up at home without their wallet, laptop and that cute girl/guy they met last night. Have a great night out but keep your wits about you.

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Nightlife new Places in town It’s time to make the most of summer! We’ve prepared a list of the liveliest partying venues in the city - new kids on the block and already local favorites. Join the St. Petersburg nighttime scene - enjoy summer and have fun!

Beatnik QD-3, Italyanskaya ul. 17, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 903 47 90, www.facebook.com/beatnik.s11.

Open 12:00 - 05:00. PAEW Botanique Bar QD-1, Nab. reky Karpovky 5, MPetrogradskaya. Open 15:00 - 02:00, Fri - Sat 15:00 - 05:00.

PAEW Do Immigration QE-2, Ul. Vosstaniya 24, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 981 986 98 26, www.facebook.com/ do.immigration. Open 18:00 - 01:00, Fri, Dat 18:00 03:00. PAEW Lombard QE-3, Sadovaya ul. 14, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 911 640 16 16, www.ginza.ru. Open 12:00 - 04:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 06:00. PAEW Roof Music Fest QD-1, “Hi-Hat roof”, Aptekarsky pr. 4, MPetrogradskaya, tel. (+7) 921 441 20 30, www.facebook. com/special.case.event. Parties on Fri and Sat. PAEW

Clubs Barrel This slick black and neon looking place has got a bit of an attitude to it - one that says dress rich and spend money. Their cocktails are good compared to the sad orange juice and vodka (‘the screwdriver’) that you may get served in the average bar, although they take a long time to arrive. There’s also an elaborate menu done up like a glossy magazine offering a bit of everything, but primarily this is a place to sit in your fox fur stole with a martini and look down at the fellow wannabe VIPs in attendance - until it’s pole dancing time, of course. Free karaoke on Wednesday nights and frequent guest DJs at the weekend.QD-3, Kazanskaya ul. 5, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 929 82 98, www.project-barrel.ru. Open 12:00 until last guest, Fri 12:00 - 06:00, Sat, Sun 15:00 06:00. PAESW 40 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

Nightlife Coyote Ugly Coyote Ugly thrives on booze, bar dancing and girl power.

The bartenders are known for their sarcasm and quick witted repartee just as much as they are for their dancing. If you are looking for a night out with unexpected antics Coyote Ugly is sure to fit the bill. This bar is more about tequila shots and wild exhibitionism than vodka or beer.

The girls do choreographed dance sequences on the table tops in a show that celebrates the wild side of contemporary American culture. Pop idols and movie stars stare mysteriously at you from the walls which are cluttered with Americana reminiscent of America’s prairies and deserts. The soundtrack ranges from classic rock to pop. This is a bar for drinking, dancing and going wild.QE‑3, Liteiny pr. 57, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 272 07 90, www. coyoteugly.ru. Open 20:00 - 06:00. P­A­W Dacha This place gets really crowded during the weekend but then it also tends to be more fun. The later the hour the crazier the atmosphere with people dancing up a huge sweat in this tiny pocket of a place. Don’t dress too fancy if you’re coming here for the night, you’re likely to get beer spilt on you and the place is smokier than a cuban warehouse. Despite the mess the friendly and energetic atmosphere of Dacha is addictive. During the day they have a few tables outside and the same quality taste in music which is complimented by sandwiches, homemade lemonade and free wifi.QD-3, Dumskaya ul. 9, MNevsky pr.

Open 18:00 - 06:00. PEW Griboedov This literally ‘underground’ club is located in a bomb shelter and is definitely worth a look. The vodka is cheap, the crowd cool and the atmosphere intimate but laid-back.

Griboedov has a good habit of booking alternative bands and a diverse range of DJs like during Happy on Mondays new electronic music nights. The cafe Griboedov Hill is upstairs and has regular parties on Saturdays (Sketch Show - hip-hop, break beat roots and reggae) and Mondays (jazz concerts and jazz-hop/deep funk DJS). Come hungry and early, as the tables fill up quickly at the weekend and the food is excellent, especially for the price.QE‑4, Voronezhskaya ul. 2a, MLigovsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 973 72 73, www.griboedovclub.ru. Open 12:00 - 06:00, Sat, Sun 14:00 - 06:00. P­A­E­W

Purga There are two Purgas right next to each other on the Fontanka river. Purga I celebrates New Year’s Eve every night complete with midnight countdown and mock TV address by Russia/Soviet leaders. In Purga II, couples celebrate mock weddings and dress up in white plastic creations to look like brides and bridegrooms. Book ahead if you want to get a table and make sure you arrive before midnight, when the festivities begin.QE-3, Nab. reky Fontanky 11, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 570 51 23, www.purga-club.ru. Open 16:00 - 06:00.

PASW Zazhigalka Descending to the basement, we find ourselves in a dark, intimate room. The black walls, and the red decorations and lighting complete the scene. Seated on the red velvet sofa, you can smoke the hookah which is prepared by a special hookah master. In the centre of the room there is of course a pole, where enchanting girls show off their skills in exotic dance. There are also VIP rooms and a private cabin.QE-3, Shcherbakov per.

17A, MDostoevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 572 17 22, www. russtriptease.ru. PAEW

Cocktail bars Bar 812 Weeknights this narrow bar seems like a quiet, unassuming place to sip a cocktail and chat with a date or a friendly fellow patron. At the weekend, however, the beautiful people come out to glide past face control and play Carrie Bradshaw with their cosmos in hand and dance stillettos at the ready. No beer, just (expertly) mixed drinks.QE-3, Ul. Zhukovskogo 11, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 956 81 29, www.bar812.ru.

Open 18:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 18:00 - 04:00. PAESW Daiquiri Bar Sexy girls in racy outfits and handsome men in suits cover the walls in this red, white and chrome homage to Sex and the City. The staff are extremely friendly and the cocktails professionally made - the house daiquiris are particularly good. With more than 300 exotic yet reasonably priced cocktails on the list it can be a good place to start the weekend. Also at Gorokhovaya ul. 49.QD-2, Bol. Konyushennaya ul. 1, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 943 81 14, www.dbar.ru.

Open 16:00 - 04:00. Fri, Sat 16:00 - 06:00. PASW

Zing Bar Cocktails, Russia’s beautiful artistic youth and a wicked soundtrack are the draw cards of this stylish little cocktail bar.

The interior is sleek and intimately lit, but not so much so that you can’t actually see anyone or anything as can be experienced elsewhere. The menu focuses on the classics and is historically separated into ‘old’ (19th Century), recent and modern sections which also include their own Russian influenced creations.QD-3, Ul. Lomonosova 14, MDostoevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 939 39 44. Open 17:00 - 02:00. PAW

Jazz and Blues JFC Jazz Club It’s hard to believe that this intimate, little club can hold more than 100 people. It has a stage, a handful of tables and standing space around the bar, for the people who forget to book a table. It’s popular with the city’s artsy scene and with people who know their jazz. It has original performances by top-notch musicians playing just about anything from experimental jazz, to acid jazz to blues.QE-2, Shpalernaya ul. 33, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 272 98 50, www. jfc-club.spb.ru. Open 19:00 - 23:00. PEW Jimi Hendrix Blues Club Russian blues stars play songs with their soul and other instruments on a small stage in this intimate cellar. Here it feels as though Jimmy Hendrix is still alive - if he is, he’s probably a frequent visitor! The kitchen serves excellent Russian and Georgian food. If you wonder why it takes so long before you get your order: it’s all made fresh. We recommend booking a table in advance, the joint is always packed.QE-2, Liteiny pr. 33, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 579 88 13, www.hendrix-club.ru. Open 11:00 - 24:00. PAE

Mishka Named after the youtube celebrity, Mishka the talking husky, this tiny basement bar is well done up in grey with pink accents. All the hipsters are here, with their oversized glasses and handmade accessories. They’re smoking Belomorkanals ironically and tapping their feet to the DJ who’s sharing space with the friendly bartenders. As a bonus, the toilet rules are interestingly translated - who flushes their wallet down the bowl?QE-3, Nab. reky Fontanky 40, MNevksky pr., tel. (+7) 812 643 25 50, www. mishkabar.ru. Open 12:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 06:00.

PAEW

Tsvetochki A café-bar in the true sense of the word. Guests are seated around a handful of small wooden tables alternatively drinking pots of tea or complicated cocktails and the music is a mash of country, jazz, soul and nostalgic pop. Décor is minimal brick walls and the odd splash of colour with the trendy good-looking staff an added bonus. Tsvetochki attracts a young, intelligent set looking to start the night in a laidback fashion so leave your bling at home.QE-3, Ul. Rubinshteina 36, MDostoevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 942 07 54. Open 09:00 - 05:00. PAW

The Hat Bar If you add whiskey and jazz together you get The Hat. The Hat boasts 30 different types of whiskey and nine different types of bourbon. However, if you aren’t a huge whiskey fan, the expert barmen can create any drink or cocktail you desire. The bar is designed to look like an old-time American bar that you would see in classic Hollywood road movies. There is live music everyday and when the live music stops, jazz plays continuously in the background.

So, if you are looking for good drinks, good music and good company, The Hat is the place to be!QE-2, Ul. Belinskogo 9, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 328 33 02.

Open 19:00 - 03:00. PEW

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What to see

What to see Peter and Paul Fortress The Fortress is the cradle of the city and St. Petersburg’s first settlement. Now a tourist complex, it houses the famous Cathedral of the Saint Apostles Peter and Paul, along with numerous museums, galleries and spectacular river-side views. The proudest offerings are the large Commandant’s House museum which examines the history of the city and the smaller, modern and fun museum at the Neva Curtain Wall which focuses on the history of the Fortress itself. However, the more unusual Engineer’s House and Museum of Space Exploration are really very quirky and good. The Mint displays coin collections and the Printing Workshop contains printing and ceramic relics. Visit the Neva Curtain Wall archway for the best view, and brave a dip in the bracing waters… at your own risk.

QD-2, Petropavlovskaya krepost 3, MGorkovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 230 64 31, www.spbmuseum.ru. The fortress is open 09:00 - 21:00. All details about museums and cathedral open hours on the website. Entrance to fortress is free. Entrance to cathedral and museums 30330Rbl. St. Petersburg’s World-Heritage-Listed city centre is one of the most awe-inspiring in Europe. Designed by Europe’s greatest architects, it was virtually untouched during Soviet times. They did however add a few hundred apartment monstrosities outside of town. The city has an enormous amount of individual tourist attractions which remain enchantingly beautiful and steeped in fascinating history.

The Essentials Aleksander Nevsky Monastery Founded by Peter the Great in 1710, this orthodox monastery is the most important in St. Petersburg. The St. Trinity cathedral is worth a visit and so is the cemetery, where you can visit the graves of Russia’s greatest composers and writers, including Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, Glinka and Dostoevsky. You can buy fresh holy bread in the monastery’s bakery in the afternoon (on your left as you approach the Trinity cathedral from the entrance).QF3, Nab. reky Monastyrky 1, MPl. Aleksandra Nevskogo, tel. (+7) 812 274 17 02, www.lavra.spb.ru. Open daily 06:00 - 20:00. Admission free.

Church of the Saviour on the Spilt Blood This Moscow-style church with richly coloured onion domes looks a bit out of place in the European centre of St. Petersburg, but it’s one of the city’s most beautiful and memorable landmarks. It got its awkward name because it was built on the spot where Tsar Alexander II was murdered in 1881. Locals call it ‘the mosaic church’ because the interior is covered with magnificent mosaics, each wall featuring a particular Biblical theme. It was renovated in the early 1990s and reopened as a museum in 1997.QD-2, Nab. kan. Griboedova 2b, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 315 16 36, www.cathedral.ru. Open 10:30 - 17:30. Closed Wed. Admission 50 - 250Rbl. 42 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

Kazan Cathedral This cathedral, which was modelled on St. Peter’s in Rome, is one of the city’s most majestic. It was built from 1801 to 1811 to house the miracle-working Icon Our Lady of Kazan. The dome is 80-metres high and the colonnade facing Nevsky has 96 columns. Be warned, it’s a quiet place and they don’t like you to talk a lot in here, it’s place of prayer and contemplation.QD-3, Kazanskaya pl. 2, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 314 46 63, www.kazansky-spb.ru. Open 09:00 - 20:00 Daily services 10:00 and 18:00. Admission free.

Kunstkamera (Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography) St. Petersburg’s oldest museum is also its strangest. Kunstkamera (which translates as art house) was founded by Peter the Great in 1714. It is also known as the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography. It has anthropological and ethnographic collections on the cultures of people around the world as well as an eclectic mix of random items that Peter and Russian explorers collected on their worldly travels. Peter’s Anatomical Collection, with its severed hands and malformed babies in jars, still draws crowds.QC-2, Universitetskaya nab. 3, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 328 14 12, www.kunstkamera. ru. Open 11:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon and last Tue of the month. Admission 50 - 250Rbl.

Take note that most museum ticket offices close one hour before the official closing time.

Also remember most museums ask you to buy an extra photography ticket if you would like to take photos or videos st-petersburg.inyourpocket.com

Russian Museum A dazzling journey from thirteenth century icons to the cream of Russian avant-garde, the Russian Museum is housed in various buildings and palaces. With a maze of beautifully decorated rooms, the main Mikhailovsky Palace is a delight for art-lovers, whatever their favoured medium. It is widely acclaimed for containing the most outstanding collection of icons from ancient Rus’. The Benois Wing has an especially strong display of work from the turn of the twentieth century. Tickets can include entrance to the Stroganov Palace, Marble Palace and Mikhailovsky Castle which host temporary exhibitions. QD-2, Inzhenernaya ul. 4, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 595 42 48, www. rusmuseum.ru. Open 10:00 - 18:00, Thu 13:00 - 21:00.

Closed Tue. Admission 150 - 350Rbl. All inclusive ticket 200 - 600Rbl. St. Isaac’s Cathedral Fully restored inside and out, St. Isaac’s is one of the world’s largest and most ornate cathedrals. The interior is adorned with gold trim, mosaics and paintings. Designed by Auguste de Montferrand and built between 1818 and 1858 the church was named in tribute to Peter the Great, who was born on the day of St. Isaac of Dalmatia. If it is a clear day we recommend climbing to the dome’s top; the panoramic view is absolutely worth the effort.QD-3, Isaakievskaya pl. 4, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 315 97 32, www.cathedral.ru. Open 10:30 - 18:00. Closed Wed. Colonnade open daily 10:30 - 18:00. Closed third Wed of the month since November 1. Evening Colonnade until October 31 18:00 - 22:30. Tickets for the Cathedral and the Colonnade are sold separately. Admission in the daytime (10:30 - 18:00) Cathedral 50 - 250Rbl, Colonnade 150Rbl. Admission in the evening time (18:00 - 22:00) Cathedral 400Rbl, Colonnade 300Rbl. Audioguide 100Rbl. www.facebook.com/StPetersburgInYourPocket

HERMITAGE The director of the Hermitage once said, “I can’t say that the Hermitage is the number one museum in the world, but it’s certainly not number two.” With over three million works of art and treasures housed in five connected buildings along the Neva, the museum can’t fail to impress. Give yourself plenty of time and try to go on a weekday to avoid the crowds. Four hours is probably an absolute minimum of time to spend there if you want to see the main state rooms and some of the most popular artworks.

The museum’s art collection covers all of the greatest European movements. Lovers of the renaissance shouldn’t miss the Da Vincis, Canalettos, Michaelangelos and Raphaels of the Italian rooms. The Rembrandt room filled with works by the old master is another must as are the nearby El Grecos. The great impressionists like Gaugin, Van Gogh, Degas, Matisse, Picasso and the gang are all up on the top floor where there is also a very large selection of Oriental and Middle Eastern art.

The ground floor houses the museum’s treasures of ancient Greece, Rome, Egypt and Persia as well as antiquities from the near and central east.There is also a number of cafes and shops on the ground floor just to the right of the main staircase after the entrance to the museum.

QD-2, Dvortsovaya nab. 34 (entrance from Dvortsovaya pl.), MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 710 90 79, www.hermitagemuseum.org. Open 10:30 - 18:00, Wed and Fri 10:30 - 21:00. Closed Mon. Admission 400 - 600Rbl. Audioguide 350Rbl. You can buy tickets at the ticket offices inside the museum and via special terminals at the entracne to the Great Courtyard. Excursion bureau (+7) 812 571 84 46.

CITY CARD Get the most out of your trip to St. Petersburg with the Petersburg Card. This convenient sightseeing card gives you access to a hop-on hop-off bus trip around the city and a free river cruise, free entry to more than 40 museums around the city and a free boat trip to Peterhof.

It also gives you discounts for a number of tourist services and restaurants. Whether you are a visitor to the city with only a couple of days here or an expat wanting to get to know the ins and outs of this amazing city, the Petersburg Card is a great investment. The card is available in 2, 3, 5 and 7 day options for your convenience. More information at www.petersburgcard.com.

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What to see Saints of st. Petersburg

What to see Churches

Russian orthodoxy has always been closely associated with pilgrimages and the worshiping of icons and holy relics. Across Russia there are hundreds of sites where the faithful come hoping for miracles and religious solitude. St. Petersburg of course is also no stranger to the phenomenon and hosts its own number of pilgrimage sites dedicated to locally interred saints.

St. Ksenia Deep inside the Smolensky cemetery on Vasilevsky ostrov you will find a tiny green church built over the grave of the city’s most revered Saint Ksenia. Widowed at the age of 27, Ksenia gave up all worldly possessions to spend her life in prayer as a pauper. She was believed to be clairvoyant and soon became famous in the city for her predictions and miraculous and selfless actions.

When she died in 1803 and was buried in the Smolensky cemetery, every year her grave had to be replaced as pilgrims would come and take the earth away from it, believing it to have healing properties. Eventually the locals decided to build a small church over the grave for her and ever since the faithful have come here in the thousands seeking Ksenia’s help. Be warned the church is very small and popular so it can be a bit of an ordeal for those who suffer from claustrophobia. St. Ksenia’s feast day is February 06. QChurch of St. Ksenia, B-2, Smolensky cemetery, MPrimorskaya.

St. John of Krohnstadt Also known as the Wonder-Working Father John Sergiev of Krohnstadt, St. John was canonised officially by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1990, some 80 years after his death. Until he was canonised he was already venerated by the many faithful who remembered him as a man of miracles and incredible kindness. He dedicated his life to charitable works and to teaching the local children of the impoverished and squalid Kronstadt island in the mid and late 19th Century, where he worked as a local priest. After he died he was buried in the Convent of St. John in the centre of St. Petersburg and even throughout Soviet times, faithful pilgrims came to leave flowers at the crypt where he is interred.

St.John’s feast days are celebrated on December 20 and October 19. QIoannovsky Convent, C-1, nab. reky Karpovky 45, MPetrogradskaya.

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St. Petersburg is home to many different churches and monasteries, all with beautiful architecture. Of course there is St. Isaac’s Cathedral, which is the largest Russian Orthodox Cathedral in the city, and one of the largest domed cathedrals in the world. It houses a museum, and it is possible to walk up to the colonnade for fantastic views of the city. The distinctive Church of the Saviour on the Spilt Blood is no longer consecrated, but is now a museum of mosaics. The unique Kazan Cathedral dominates Nevsky Prospect, and the Troitsky Cathedral with its blue domes overlooks the Fontanka Canal. These buildings give wonderful glimpses into Russia’s past.

Armenian church QD-3, Nevsky pr. 40/42, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 571 99 90, www.armenian-church.org. Open 09:00 - 20:00.

Admission free.

Chesma Church QUl. Lensoveta 12, MMoskovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 373 61 14, www.chesma.spb.ru. Open 09:00 - 19:00. Daily services 10:00 and 18:00 (except Mon). Admission free.

Sampsonievsky Cathedral QE-1, Bol. Sampsonievsky pr. 41, MVyborgskaya, tel. (+7) 812 294 57 51, www.cathedral.ru. Open 10:30 18:00. Closed Wed. Admission free.

Smolny Cathedral QF-2, Pl. Rastrelli 3, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 710 31 59, www.cathedral.ru. Open 10:30 - 18:00. Closed Wed. Admission 50 - 150Rbl, concerts 200 - 700Rbl. Belltower 100Rbl. St. Andrew’s Cathedral QC-2, VO, 6-ya liniya 11, MVasileostrovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 323 34 18, www.hramsp.ru. Open 09:00 - 19:00.

Daily services 10:00 and 17:00.

St. Nicholas Cathedral QC-3, Nikolskaya pl. 1/3, MSennaya pl., tel. (+7) 812 714 70 85, www.nikolskiysobor.ru. Open 06:30 - 19:30.

Daily services 07:00, 10:00, 18:00. Admission free.

Troitsky Cathedral QD-4, Izmailovsky pr. 7a, MTekhnologichesky Institut, tel. (+7) 812 251 89 27, www.izmsobor.ru. Open 08:00 - 19:00. Daily services 10:00, Fri - Sun 17:00.

Vladimirsky Cathedral QE-3, Vladimirsky pr. 20, MVladimirskaya, tel. (+7) 812 312 19 38, www.vladimirsobor.spb.ru. Open 08:00 19:30. Services daily 09:00, 18:00. Sun 07:00, 10:00. st-petersburg.inyourpocket.com

Museums St. Petersburg has been described as a ‘living museum under the open skies’, and for good reason! There is something for everyone!

Artillery Museum QD-2, Aleksandrovsky park 7 (entrance from Kronverkskaya nab.), MGorkovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 232 02 96, www.artillery-museum.ru. Open 11:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon, Tue and last Thu of the month. Admission 100 400Rbl. Museum of the St. Petersburg Avant-garde (Matyushin house) QD-1, Ul. Professora Popova 10, MPetrogradskaya, tel. (+7) 812 347 68 98, www.spbmuseum.ru. Open 11:00 - 18:00, Tue 11:00 - 17:00. Closed Wed. Admission 60 - 100Rbl. Museum of Political History of Russia QD-2, Ul. Kuibysheva 2-4 (entrance from Kronversky pr.), MGorkovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 233 70 52, www.polithistory. ru. Open 10:00 - 18:00, Wed 10:00 - 20:00. Closed Thu and last Mon of the month. Admission 200Rbl. Russian Etnographic Museum QE-3, Inzhenernaya ul. 4/1, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 570 54 21, www.ethnomuseum.ru. Open 10:00 - 18:00, Thu 10:00 - 21:00. Closed Mon and last Fri of month. Admission 50 - 350Rbl. Vodokanal Museum QF-2, Shpalernaya ul. 56, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 438 43 75, www.vodokanal-museum.ru. Open 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Mon and Tue. Admission 50 250Rbl. Yusupov Palace QC-3, Nab. reky Moiky 94, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 314 98 83, www.yusupov-palace.ru. Open 11:00 - 17:00. Group tours should be booked in advance by phone (+7) 812 314 88 93. Excursions 150 - 700Rbl.

modern art centres Erarta museum and galleries of contemporary art QB-3, VO, 29-ya linya, 2, MVasileostrovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 324 08 09, www.erarta.com.

Novy musey QC-2, VO, 6-ya liniya, 29, MVasileostrovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 323 50 90, www.novymuseum.ru.

ROSPHOTO QD-3, Bol. Morskaya ul. 35, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 314 12 14, www.rosphoto.org.

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Russian Vodka Museum This small museum presents the long history of Russia’s national drink, from 12th Century peasants through to 20th Century presidents. Display cases full of vodka bottles in unusual shapes, old advertising campaigns and some funny dioramas explain the evolution of the Russian firewater. An official excursion is recommended as the exhibits are in Russian only. In the tasting room, there’s also a chance to try out three different vodkas and traditional Russian snacks.

QC-3, Konnogvardeisky bul. 4, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 570 64 22, www.vodkamuseum.su. Open 12:00 19:00. Admission 150Rbl. Excursion 300Rbl. Degustation 300Rbl. Excursion with degustation 450Rbl.

New museums in the city Museum of Street Art The idea of a museum or any sort of formal institution for graffiti seems counterintuitive, and maybe that’s enough of a reason to have a look.

Walk through a monumental arc made of sea-faring packing containers and into this establishment, which is something of a work-in-progress. While the permanent exhibition is slated to open in 2017, some zones of this former plastics industry are already accessible, with huge murals exposed to the open air. Public art is a relatively new development in St. Petersburg, and this is a fascinating sample of a kind of controlled chaos. The museum is open Fri – Sun from 12:00 till 22:00. Before going, make sure to visit the website for details on free masterclasses, interactive tours and more. www.streetartmuseum.ru Cosmo-museum The heydays of the Space Race are over, but in the Museums of Cosmonautics, both the history of Soviet astronomical research, and its current incarnation, are quite alive and well. Although it’s hard to imagine this today, many of the city’s grandest, oldest and most gold-leafencrusted palaces and fortresses once harbored laboratories and research centers. The museum itself is located in the former gas dynamics laboratory (inside the Peter and Paul Fortress) that developed rocket engineering technologies, and this legacy is on display, including papers, instruments, and rocket-related pieces. Look out for the model of “Vostok”, the spacecraft that took Yuri Gagarin out of this world. www.spbmuseum.ru October - November 2015

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What to see hidden museums It is no secret that St. Petersburg is one of the richest cities in the world in terms of culture. Millions of tourists flock from all over the world to Russia’s beating cultural heart each year, seeking the most treasured historical venues the city has to offer. The Kunstkamera Museum, the Russian Museum and of course the State Hermitage are compulsory attractions for almost every tourist, something which is noticeable especially during the high season.

Standing outside the Hermitage, having barely escaped the massive crowds marching through its halls, one can only wonder if there might be an easier way of enjoying what Piter has to offer. Well, yes there is, and to make sure you can enjoy as much of St. Petersburg as possible, we have sacrificed some shoe leather in a quest for some of the lesser known museums of the city. These relatively unknown gems are often overshadowed by their bigger brothers, but now the time has come for them to enter the limelight and steal the show! We have found a whole range of museums where you can wander round in peace, far from the madding crowd – all of the Piter, none of the stress!

Arctic and Antarctic Museum Dress up warm and dust off your snow boots, you’re going on an expedition!

The Russian State Arctic and Antarctica museum was founded in 1930 as part of the Soviet Arctic and Antarctica Institute.

Situated in Avraam Melnikov’s Church, it is currently the largest museum dedicated to polar exploration in the world. The first floor of the museum will guide you through various exhibitions related to the icy landscapes of Antarctica. Various scale models of famous Russian atomic ice breakers decorate the rooms, accompanied by official documents, pieces of machinery and emblems.

Full-sized replicas of Russian tents, hovels and equipment show how it is possible for researchers to survive under such harsh conditions. The museum also showcases some of the most impressive mounted animals you will ever see, giving you the opportunity to stare a polar bear straight in the eye with impunity. Along the somewhat hidden staircases to the second floor you will find various photos of animals in their natural habitats. The second floor itself is dedicated to the history and present state of Inuit culture. Be sure to visit the central room on the second floor, where you can find various types of equipment from different countries and a map that displays all the research bases spread across the frigid wastes. QE-3, Ul. Marata 24A, MVladimirskaya, tel. (+7) 812 571 25 49, www.polarmuseum.ru. Open 10:00 - 18:00, Sun 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon and last Fri of the month.

Admission 70 - 250Rbl. 46 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

What to see Bread Museum

Fabergé Museum

A museum dedicated to bread sounds rather unusual, and in some ways it is. The bread museum in St. Petersburg is the only one of its kind in Russia and one of just thirteen in the world. This unique museum showcases the importance of bread throughout history, something that many people have nowadays forgotten. Bread was not simply a snack: it was in many ways a symbol of harmony between humans and nature. In Russia particularly, bread was considered as something valuable, if not a necessity of life. Rituals practised in old Russia often included bread and it was heralded as a sign of hospitality. The museum focuses on the role of bread in St. Petersburg, showing a wide range of baked products commonly prepared by bakers and confectioners in the nineteenth century. In more recent history, the importance of bread is magnified in a small corner showing the rations during the time of World War II and the siege of Leningrad.

This will certainly make you feel lucky the next time you sink your teeth into a sandwich. The bread museum is relatively small, so it is the perfect venue to visit if you have some spare time and do not feel like loafing around. Be sure to ask for English information at the cash register, since the exhibition itself barely has any. QE-3, Ligovsky pr. 73, MLigovsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 764 11 10. Open 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun, Mon and last Tue of the month. Admission 60 - 100Rbl.

As sure as eggs is eggs, the masterpieces created by the House of Fabergé are inextricably linked to St. Petersburg’s imperial past, so it is perhaps surprising that until recently there was no museum in the city specifically devoted to them. In 2013 all that changed, and now one of the world’s finest collections is on display in the magnificently restored Shuvalov Palace, just a couple of minutes’ walk from Nevsky Prospekt. Pride of place goes, naturally, to nine Easter Eggs crafted for the last two Russian tsars, but the collection includes over 4,000 other items of all shapes, sizes and materials, some created by Fabergé’s contemporaries who, while they may have lacked his flair for PR, were certainly masters in their own right. Notwithstanding the intrinsic and financial value of some of the pieces, they are not hidden away behind velvet ropes, in fact you can get right up to the display cases, and we suspect that the cleaners spend most evenings wiping nose-prints off the glass.

QE-3, Nab. reky Fontanky 21, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 600 11 44, www.fabergemuseum.ru. Open 10:00 - 18:00 (excursions only), 18:00 - 20:45 (non-excursion). Closed Fri. Admission 300Rbl. GrandMaket Russia

State Memorial Museum of Leningrad Defence and Siege One of the darkest periods in Russian history was undoubtedly the siege of Leningrad. A trip to the State Memorial Museum of Leningrad Defence and Siege allows you to take a peek into history, and to gain a better understanding of just how desperate the situation was in these 900 dark days.

The displayed food rations, munitions and propaganda posters may seem a bit morbid to those not interested in war history, but they are all of significant historical value. The museum’s somewhat gloomy halls amplify the uneasy feeling you get when walking past a small silver scale with bullets; bullets that have actually been extracted from the body of a Russian soldier. Even though most of the writings near the exhibits are in Russian, the museum has translated some of the more important information to English as well. We still recommend an audio guide to anyone who is unable to read Russian though, since it will definitely add value to your visit.

Also keep in mind that the museum is still clinging on to the old ‘tourist prices’, so do not be surprised when you must pay a little bit more than Russians do. QF-2, Shpalernaya ul. 56, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 438 43 75, www. vodokanal-museum.ru. Open 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Mon and Tue. Admission 60 - 250Rbl.

What do we, the common folk, actually know about coffee, other than that it gives us the will to carry on? Not all that much when you come to think of it, so a trip to the coffee museum is mandatory for both coffee lovers and people who simply like a fun experience. You can only enter the museum by joining a tour, so it is possible you cannot enter immediately after buying your ticket. Luckily, your ticket provides you with a fifty percent discount on all products in the café above the museum, making the wait that much easier. The museum guides speak pretty good English, so you should have no trouble understanding everything that is being said. During the tour you will learn about the history of coffee, different types of beans and various ways of processing, turning you into a true coffee connoisseur. At the end of the tour you are, naturally, given the opportunity to buy various types of coffee. We recommend the museum’s very own blend, which can only be bought and tasted here! QE2, Voskresenskaya nab. 14, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 275 87 36, www.mcof.ru. Open 11:00 - 20:00. Admission 200 - 250Rbl. Show-tasting 800Rbl.

Trying to fit the Russian Federation into one room is madness, surely? The creators of Grand Maket Russia thought so too, so they used two rooms instead. Covering 800-odd square metres, this grand layout of Russia is the second largest of its kind in the world. Over four hundred artists, modellers and computer scientists helped create this all-encompassing, yet surprisingly detailed representation of Russia. To take in all that the museum has to offer will probably take until nightfall, no matter what time of the day you visit. This is because of a nifty day and night system integrated into the exhibit: when the sun sets in the west, the eastern part of Russia will gradually be bathed in the red light of the morning sun. During the night sequences the entire atmosphere of the rooms change: cars and trains turn on their headlights, houses become illuminated and the snowy regions of Russia seem to become even more magical than before. An informative and most of all fun experience for young and old alike. And don’t forget to try some of the Russian cuisine in the restaurant downstairs afterwards. QTsvetochnaya ul.

16, MMoskovskie Vorota, tel. (+7) 812 495 54 65, www. grandmaket.ru. Open 10:00 - 20:00. Admission 400 450Rbl. Audioguide 150Rbl + 500Rbl deposit.

Sigmund Freud’s Dream Museum Close your eyes and wander off into a world of dreams. That is what you are supposed to do when passing through the door of the museum of Sigmund Freud’s dreams. Do not keep them closed for too long though, or you might bump into something. With his unorthodox theories about dreams and neurology, Sigmund Freud is considered to be the father of psychoanalysis. In Freud’s theories dreams were described as wish-fulfilments, and they were linked to several aspects and recurring themes. The museum sets out to create a physical manifestation of Freud’s dreams and theories. In the first of the two rooms you will find information about Freud himself and drawings of the dreams he described. The second room is a long hallway with glass walls on each side and a bright screen at the end. Behind the walls are many objects which seem to have no relation to one another. Or do they? It is up to you to find out. Using various methods it is possible to alter the objects and retrieve messages hidden within them. The message that you retrieve from them, however, depends on your own state of mind and vision.QC-1, PS, Bolshoy pr. 18A, MSportivnaya, tel. (+7) 812 456 22 90, www.freud.ru. Open Tue, Sat, Sun 12:00 - 17:00. Admission 100 - 150Rbl.

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Coffee Museum

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What to see

What to see Oranienbaum Oranienbaum (Orange Tree) isn’t quite as popular among tourists as other similar palaces, but it’s nonetheless a lovely place for a picnic or for a walk through peaceful gardens and pine woods. Prince Alexander Menshikov, one of Peter the Great’s best friends, started building the estate and its Grand Palace. Catherine the Great made it one of her holiday spots and built a small Chinese palace with baroque outside and rococo within. Menshikov’s Grand Palace hasn’t changed a great deal over the centuries and it’s one of the few palaces on the outskirts of the city that wasn’t destroyed by the Nazis. There are numerous development plans in progress in Oranienbaum, also known as Lomonosov. You can have a cheap Russian dinner in a cafe near the administration building, the only place in the park where you can buy food or drinks.

Opening Times and Tickets Oranienbaum QTel. (+7) 812 423 16 33, www.oranienbaum.org.

Park open daily 09:00 - 20:00. For opening times for palaces check the website. Admission: palaces 100 - 550Rbl, free entrance to the park since October 11.

Pavlovsk QTel. (+7) 812 452 15 36, www.pavlovskmuseum. ru. Park open daily 06:00 - 24:00. Palace open 10:00 - 18:00. Closed first Mon of the month. Admission: park 50 - 150Rbl, palace 150 - 500Rbl. Peterhof QTel. (+7) 812 450 52 87, www.peterhofmuseum. ru. Park open daily 09:00 - 20:00. Palaces open 10:30 - 18:00, Great Palace open 10:30 - 19:00, Sat 10:30 21:00. Great Palace closed on Mondays and last Tue of the month. Admission to lower park adults 500Rbl and students 250Rbl. The upper park is free. Admission Great Palace adults 500Rbl. and students 300Rbl. Tour booking office (+7) 812 450 58 06.

Pushkin QTel. (+7) 812 415 76 67, www.tzar.ru. Catherine Park open 07:00 - 21:00. Catherine’s Palace open 12:00 - 17:00, Mon 12:00 - 20:00. Closed Tue and last Mon of the month. Admission: park 30 - 120Rbl, Catherine Palace 230 - 520Rbl, audioguide 150Rbl. Strelna QTel. (+7) 812 438 53 60, www.konstantinpalace. ru. Open 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Wed. Call before you visit the palace, to make sure it’s not closed for an official function. Admission 100 - 350Rbl. 48 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

St. Petersburg‘s Historical Outskirts There is no time like autumn to catch the best of St. Petersburg and the surrounding parks and estates. The trees offer a spectacular range of colours as their leaves turn red and golden with the last heat of summer. Enjoy the last weeks of sun before winter sets in by visiting the parks and palaces around St. Petersburg.

Konstantinovsky Palace Once known as Putin’s Palace, this palace is now one of the official Presidential residences. Historically speaking, the Palace’s original owners were the Romanovs; however, after the 1917 Revolution, it fell into disrepair. Nowadays the public can enjoy the immaculate lawns. Inside the palace are spectacular views over the gulf and sumptuous meeting rooms with huge sparkling chandeliers. There is also a display of Russian paintings, decorative and applied arts from 18th to 20th century as well as a unique collection of fine wines. Note you must show your passport when you enter (this is also an official government building).

Peterhof Palace and Park Accurately referred to as the ‘Russian Versailles’, Peterhof is one of Russia’s number one tourist attractions. It is particularly spectacular from late-May to mid-October, when the 147 fountains are turned on, but even so it is well worth visiting at any other time of year. The Great Palace was built between 1709 and 1724 under the directions of Peter the Great, but the tsars and tsarinas that followed each wanted to make their own mark, adding another palace or fountain to the grounds. The focal point of the whole ensemble is the jaw-dropping cascade fountain leading down from the palace and from there the park spreads out to the left and right along the coastline with trick fountains, pyramid fountains, marble sculptures and other impressive stuff. Other museums worth visiting within the grounds include the Hermitage Palace, the Marly Palace and Monplaisir, the little house where Peter the Great used to organise parties for his closest (and rowdiest) friends. st-petersburg.inyourpocket.com

Pavlovsk Subtle, romantic, relaxing and quiet. All perfect words to describe Pavlovsk. Only 27km from the big city, it feels like a world away. The small town hosts the fascinating Pavlovsk Palace, encompassed by a huge 1,500 acre park. Tall trees, winding streams and endless paths scattered with classical statues and flanked by benches make for many a secluded spot. If you have active children who need a place to blow off some steam, pack a picnic and make an afternoon of it. The enchanting Pavlovsk Palace, with its magnificent neoclassical interior, is a feast for the eyes. The country residence of the Imperial family boasts beautiful architecture and captivating history. Certainly not as grand as Peterhof, but much less touristy, Pavlovsk is a great place to get away from it all.

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Getting There Pushkin – Pavlovsk Pushkin and Pavlovsk are located about 20km south of St. Petersburg.

By bus/marshrutka: From Moskovskaya metro station: for Pushkin take marshrutka 286, 287, 342, 347, 545 or take public bus 187; for Pavlovsk take marshrutka 299. From Kupchino metro station: for Pushkin take bus 186 or marshrutka 286, 287, 347a, 545a, for Pavlovsk take marshrutka 286.

By train: For Pushkin take a train from Vitebsky train station (Pushkinskaya metro station) to Detskoe Selo.

From there you can walk to Catherine’s Palace (20min) or take bus 371, 382 or marshrutka 371, 377, 382.

For Pavlovsk take a train from Vitebsky train station to Pavlovsk. From there you can take bus 370, 372, 375a, 383, 493 or marshrutka 299, 286, 513, 521. You can also take a train from Kupchino metro/train station.

Strelna – Peterhof – Oranienbaum Peterhof is located about 30km west of St. Petersburg on the Finnish gulf. Oranienbaum is located 40km west of St. Petersburg and Strelna is located six kilometres east of Peterhof.

By bus/marshrutka: From Avtovo metro station take marshrutka 224, 300, 424 or 424a. You can also take public buses 200, 210. From Baltisky train station (Baltiskaya metro station): marshrutka 404. From Pr. Veteranov metro station: marshrutka 343, 639b. From Leninsky pr. metro station: marshrutka 103(K224). Don’t forget to warn the driver (or passengers) that you want to exit next to the fountains, ask for Fontany or Dvorets (fountains or palace).

For Strelna get off at the Strelna station. For Oranienbaum get off at the Oranienbaum station.

By train: Take a train from Baltisky train station to Novy Peterhof. These trains leave in the directions of Kalishe, Oranienbaum or Krasnoflotsk. Once in Novy Peterhof, take buses 344, 348, 350, 351, 352, 355, 356, warn the driver that you want to exit next to the fountains.

For Strelna get off at the Strelna station. For Oranienbaum get off at the Oranienbaum station.

Pushkin Tsarskoe Selo or Pushkin? Both names still apply to one of St. Petersburg’s most famous imperial villages. The summer home of the Romanov tsars for centuries, Tsarskoe Selo or the ‘Royal Village’ was renamed Pushkin following the communist revolution in honour of one of its other well-known residents, the poet Alexander Pushkin. In 2010 the town celebrated its 300th birthday and following intense restoration works Pushkin’s many treasures are sparkling. Regardless of the time of year, sightseeing opportunities abound, from the spectacular Catherine Park filled with quirky monuments commissioned by the Empress and the sparkling Amber room of Catherine’s Palace to the quieter Alexander Palace where the last Tsars spent their final days before they were arrested by the Bolsheviks and the literary school museum where the poet Alexander Pushkin studied.

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Where to stay

Where to stay Ask the Concierge Interview with Olga Molchanova, concierge at the Astoria Hotel.

My name is Olga Molchanova and I have been working as a concierge for seven years now. However long before that, I used to work as a French language teacher and one day I was offered a great opportunity to work as a concierge at the Angleterre hotel. It was definitely a challenge to start this new career path, but I must confess that I enjoyed every step of this inspiring possibility and I am happy to have become the Head Concierge at the Astoria Hotel by now. Working as a concierge is not just a job full of certain responsibilities, it is about being useful and valuable for hotel guests who really become a part of your life! Being a concierge is a lifestyle.

it’s a lot better

Located in the very heart of St. Petersburg, the Novotel St. Petersburg Centre has everything you need for business meetings or city tours. Each room has free high-speed Internet access and satellite television. Guests can enjoy a restaurant, lobby bar with a range of drinks, snacks, cocktails and desserts, a fitness room with hammam, free parking, concierge and gift shop. A warm welcome and first-class service await you at the Novotel.

Experience Novotel St. Petersburg Centre at 3a Mayakovskogo ulitsa, St. Peterburg.

BOOK YOUR NEXT STAY ON

novotel.com · accorhotels.com

50 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

Can you tell us something about Astoria Hotel? What makes it special? What do you like best about your work here? I am working as the Head Concierge at the Astoria Hotel now and I am very proud of this chance to be a part of the legendary hotel located in the very heart of St. Petersburg. The famous Astoria Hotel is part of the Rocco Forte Collection hotels and is truly a legendary historical building.

The Astoria Hotel is more than 100 years old now and it has experienced various changes over the previous decades and has welcomed a wide specter of world-famous guests.

The Astoria Hotel is a symbol of hospitality and high quality care of guests. We are always happy to welcome and greet our guests and let them enjoy their time while staying in the hotel and exploring our beautiful city.

Whether you are visiting St. Petersburg for a night or a month, you should stay in a hotel which lets you make the most out of your visit. We have a selection of hotels ranging from luxury five star hotels to boutique mini-hotels filled with charm. You can find out where these hotels are located and what market they cater to. The traveller looking to stretch their budget will appreciate the centrally located hostels and dormitories just as much as the high flying business executive who is looking for a quiet place to unwind after a hectic day of negotiations and cultural programmes.

5 Stars Angleterre Hotel QD-3, Mal. Morskaya ul. 24, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 494 56 66, www.angleterrehotel.com. 193 rooms. belmond Grand Hotel Europe QD-3, Mikhailovskaya ul. 1/7, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 329 60 00, www.grandhoteleurope.com. 276 rooms.

Corinthia Hotel St. Petersburg QE-3, Nevsky pr. 57, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 380 20 01, www.corinthia.com. 388 rooms.

Domina Prestige Hotel St. Petersburg QС-3, Nab. reky Moiky 99, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 385 99 00, www.dominarussia.com. 109 rooms.

Four Seasons Hotel Lion Palace QD-3, Voznesensky pr. 1, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 339 80 00, www.fourseasons.com/stpetersburg/.

183 rooms.

Golden Garden boutique Hotel QE-3, Vladimirsky pr. 9, MDostoyevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 334 22 33, www.goldengarden.ru. 23 rooms.

Hotel Astoria QD-3, Bol. Morskaya ul. 39, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 494 57 57, www.thehotelastoria.com. 188 rooms.

Kempinski Hotel Moika 22 QD-2, Nab. Reky Moiky 22, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 335 91 11, www.kempinski.com/stpetersburg.

197 rooms.

Radisson Royal Hotel QE-3, Nevsky pr. 49/2, MVladimirskaya, tel. (+7) 812 322 50 00, www.radisson.ru/hotel-stpetersburg. 164 rooms.

Sokos Hotel Palace Bridge QC-2, Birzhevoy per. 4, MVasileostrovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 335 22 00, www.sokoshotels.com. 324 rooms.

Taleon Imperial Hotel QD-3, Nevsky pr. 15, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 324 99 11, www.taleonimperialhotel.com. 89 rooms.

W St. Petersburg QD-3, Voznesensky pr. 6, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 610 61 61, www.wstpetersburg.com. 137 rooms.

U menya zabronirovan nomer – I have a reservation

What is a must-visit in St. Petersburg in the fall? This fall, as world-famous theaters of St. Petersburg kick off their new seasons, you can visit many performances starting from classical to modern styles – there’s something for every taste! It is well known that St. Petersburg is as famous for its numerous museums, which always boast exciting collections, therefore I would also recommend our guests to discover the new collections at the Russian Museum displayed in the Benois Wing. Visitors will be delighted by the ancient and folk Russian art pieces as well as a variety of paintings, sculptures, engravings and much more.

Angleterre Hotel is holding a great celebration in light of its 175 anniversary in October. We are looking forward to meeting our guests at the Astoria and Angleterre and we will make sure to create some amazing memories of St. Petersburg for them to take back home!

Registrations: all foreign visitors to Russia are obliged to register within seven working days (this excludes weekends and public holidays). Remember your hotel is obliged to register you as staying in their hotel. If a hotel refuses to register you make sure you complain – the registrations is their responsibility, not yours! st-petersburg.inyourpocket.com

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Where to stay 4 Stars Courtyard by Marriott St. Petersburg Center West Pushkin Hotel QC-4, Nab. kan. Griboedova 166 (entrance via Kanonerskaya ul. 33), MSennaya pl., tel. (+7) 812 610 50 00, www.courtyardstpetersburgpushkin.ru. 273 rooms.

Courtyard by Marriott St. Petersburg Vasilievsky QC-2, 2-ya liniya 61/30 A, MVasileostrovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 380 40 11, www.courtyardsaintpetersburg.ru.

214 rooms.

Crowne Plaza St. Petersburg Airport the hotel and the city centre and between the two airport terminals.QStartovaya ul. 6, bldg. A, MMoskovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 240 42 00, www.cpairport.ru. 294 rooms.

Crowne Plaza St. Petersburg - Ligovsky QE-3, Ligovsky pr. 61, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel. (+7) 812 244 00 01, www.crowneplaza.com/ligovsky. 195 rooms.

Holiday Inn Moskovskye Vorota metro.QMoskovsky pr. 97A, MMoskovskie Vorota, tel. (+7) 812 448 71 27, www.hi-spb.com. 557 rooms.

Hotel Indigo St.Petersburg Tchaikovskogo QE-2, Ul. Tchaikovskogo 17, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 454 55 77, www.ihg.com. 119 rooms.

Novotel St. Petersburg Centre QE-3, Ul. Mayakovskogo 3A, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 335 11 88, www.accorhotels.com/5679. 233 rooms.

52 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

Shopping Park Inn by Radisson Nevsky QE-3, Nevsky pr. 89, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel. (+7) 812 406 73 10, www.parkinn.com/hotel-stpetersburg. 269 rooms.

Park Inn by Radisson Pulkovskaya and beds.QPl. Pobedy 1, MMoskovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 740 39 00, www.parkinn.com/hotelpulkovskayastpetersburg. 841 rooms.

Radisson Sonya Hotel QE-2, Liteiny pr. 5/19, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 406 00 00, www.radisson.ru/sonyahotel-stpetersburg.

173 rooms .

Sokos Hotel Vasilievsky QC-3, 9-ya Liniya 11-13, MVasileostrovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 335 22 90, www.sokoshotels.com. 255 rooms.

Sokos Hotel Olympia Garden QD-4, Bataisky per. 3a, MTekhnologichesky institut, tel. (+7) 812 335 22 70, www.sokoshotels.fi. 348 rooms.

3 Stars AZIMUT Hotel Saint Petersburg QC-4, Lermontovsky pr. 43/1, MBaltiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 740 26 40, www.azimuthotels.com. 1037 rooms.

Herzen House QD-3, Bol. Morskaya ul. 25, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 315 55 50, www.herzen-hotel.ru. 29 rooms.

IBIS St. Petersburg Centre QE-3, Ligovsky pr. 54, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel. (+7) 812 622 01 00, www.ibishotel.com/6157. 221 rooms.

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Gifts and Souvenirs Chocolate Museum QD-3, Nevsky pr. 17, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 315 13 48, www.muzeyshokolada.ru. Open 11:00 21:00. A Gallery Mikhailov QD-2, Bol. Konyushennaya ul. 10, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 571 06 69, www.vmikhailov.ru. Open 11:00 - 21:00. A La Petite Opera Gallery QD-3, Grand Hotel Europe, Mikhailovskaya ul. 1/7, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 329 65 89, www.lacquerbox. net. Open 09:00 - 21:00.

Lomonosov Porcelain Factory QPr. Obukhovskoy Oborony 151, MLomonosovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 326 17 44, www.ipm.ru. Open 10:00 - 20:00. A Nevsky Souvenir Shop QD-2, Nevsky pr. 22-24 (entrance at Bol. Konyushennaya ul. 12), MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 954 78 53, www. nevskysouvenir.com. Open 09:00 - 22:00. A Pavloposadskie Platki Shop QE-3, Nevsky pr. 87/2, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 963 329 12 63, www.platki.ru. Open 10:00 - 22:00. A Souvenirs Fair QD-2, Nab. kan. Griboedova 1, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 962 26 13. Open 09:00 - 18:00. A

Shopping centres Bolshoy Gostiny Dvor QD-3, Nevsky pr. 35, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 710 54 08, www.bgd.ru. Open 10:00 - 22:00. AK GALERIA QE-3, Ligovsky pr. 30A, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel. (+7) 812 643 31 72, www.galeria-spb.ru. Open 10:00 23:00. ALK Nevsky Centre QE-3, Nevsky pr. 114-116, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel. (+7) 812 313 93 13, www.nevskycentre.ru. Open 10:00 - 23:00.

AKW Passage QD-3, Nevsky pr. 48, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 315 52 57, www.passage.spb.ru. Open 10:00 - 21:00, Sun 11:00 - 21:00. AK Eliseevsky Store QE-3, Nevsky pr. 56, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 456 66 66, www.kupetzeliseevs.ru. Open 10:00 - 22:00.

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DLT Department store Dom Leningradskoi Torgovli (DLT, House of Leningrad Trade) is one of the oldest department stores in St. Petersburg and a legendary name for Russian market.

Since 2005, the building has been under control of Mercury, a leading luxury goods distribution company. In 2012, after a long-term restoration, DLT became the flagman of TSUM, Moscow based department store. Since DLT opening, St. Petersburg finally got its own world-class fashion center. DLT stands in a row with top Moscow and European stores with its developed infrastructure, excellent service and wide range of luxury goods. It is without a doubt a must-visit place of the city.

DLT building has 6 floors with a total area of 32 000 sq. m.

Each floor is assigned for a special category of goods: jewelry, accessories, cosmetics, perfumery and interior items are represented on the 1st floor; men’s and women’s clothing by luxury brands – on 2nd and 3rd floor respectively, women’s clothing by modern designers, denim and luggage – on the 4th floor. On the 5th floor you will find kids clothing and accessories department, one of the largest of its kind in Europe. QD-2, Bol. Konyushennaya ul. 21-23, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 648 08 48, www.dlt. ru. Open 10:00 - 22:00. AKW

Black Caviar The first specialized black caviar shop in Russia opened its doors on Nevsky Prospekt in the heart of St. Petersburg.

“Caviar. Chernaya Ikra” was founded by Amsar together with the noncommercial organization “Union of Sturgeon Breeders” and leading Russian sturgeon breeding enterprises. Here you will find caviar from leading Russian producers: “Diana” fish farm, “Yaroslavsky” fish factory, “Raskat” fish producing complex, “Rzhevsky” fish breeding complex, Dagestan’s full system industrial fish breeding enterprise and others. Apart from presenting their products, these enterprises provide full information about their aquacultural practices and the use of innovational production technologies. They can also explain the kinds of events that take place aimed at preserving sturgeons and raising awareness about the responsibility we have as consumers to help make the industry more efficient. QD-3, Nevsky pr. 35, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 800 234 90 88.

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Shopping Russian Souvenirs Russia is full of beautiful souvenirs – and we are not just talking about Russian dolls and Lenin badges. If you are looking to take some extra special gifts home with you we recommend you consider buying some of the following: Caviar Black beluga caviar is still one of the most expensive foods on the planet and a small jar can set you back more than $100 if you buy it in the market. Never buy caviar from street touts, more often than not it is fake and/or illegal.

Birch wood crafts The silver birch is the national tree of Russia, the further in to the countryside you get, the more you notice that the world’s largest country is covered in them. It then comes as no surprise that Russians have been experts at producing items carved out of the bark of their favourite tree. Birch wood combs are particularly popular as they are said to be very good for your hair.

Khokhloma This traditional red, black and gold Russian design generally painted onto wooden household items dates back to the 18th Century. If you haven’t much space in your luggage pick up a spoon and sugar pot, or if you have space for more you can find almost anything with khokhloma on from tea trays to kitchen tables. Bosco sport (the company who dress the Russian Olympic team) also do a nice line in khokhloma inspired clothing.

Platok A perfect present for any female friend or relative.

These beautifully designed and colourful scarves can either spruce up the outfit of a young lady by being worn around the neck or serve to make your grandma look even cuter than usual by being worn around the head. Orenburgsky platok is another highly desirable type of scarf made from the down hair of goats. The real hand spun ones are very warm and yet also so delicate and silk-like that the whole scarf can be pulled through a woman’s wedding ring.

54 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

Expat & Business Bookshops

Expat Contacts

LEARN russian

Do you prefer knigi (books) to Kindles? Have some kilograms to spare in your carry-on? Then it’s time to start your Russian library!

Bukvoed (literally, “Book Eater”) is the best place to chow down on any genre - this chain can be found throughout the city, and has a wide selection and frequent discounts. Dom Knigi (House of Books), located right near the Nevsky metro station, is excellent both inside and out: it is located in one of the city’s finest Art Nouveau buildings, originally constructed for the Singer Sewing Machine Company. If you’re looking for privacy, Podpisnye Izdaniya has a lovely second-floor seating area with barstools, the perfect place to retreat with a chosen volume.

Do you take sugar with your Shakespeare? Anglia British Bookshop right off of the Fontanka Embankment will help restore your English accent.

Perhaps what you’re really searching for, though, is not only literature but a literary salon. Poke around the courtyard until you find Vse Svobodny, a hip hole-in-the-wall bookstore with a tea room and regular schedule of concerts and readings. Poryadok Slov also fills the role of a cultural center, hosting readings and film screenings. Check out the ‘art club’ Knigi i Kofe for those things - books and coffee- and then some: author talks, lecture series, exhibits and more.

And if you’re still learning your АБВ’s and just want to fill out the crossword, buy a map or try reading the local newspaper – Pervaya Polosa kiosks dot every metro station.

Dutch Club St. Petersburg Qwww.nlvpetersburg.com.

English Communication Club Qtel. (+7) 911 163 56 45, www.encc.ru.

International Women’s Club Qwww.iwcstpete.com. General meetings are held once a month, in different locations in the city. Additional member based activities, events and groups are organised daily. internations Qwww.internations.org.

Dictionary for expats: “Once in a blue moon” – “Raz v god I palka strelyaet” Even a stick shoots once a year is the direct translation – “once in a blue moon” could be said to be the equivalent, only the direct translation implies anything might happen at least once. Though rarely, even the most unexpected and strange things happen sometimes, be it a day of snow in summer, or meeting a friend in a different country unexpectedly or winning the lottery.

Cultural Centres

Anglia British Bookshop QE-3, Nab. reky Fontanky 38, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 579 82 84, www.britania-spb.ru. Open 11:00 - 20:00, Sun 12:00 - 19:00. A Bukvoed QD-3, Nevsky pr. 46, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 601 06 01, www.bookvoed.ru. Open 24hrs. For other locations check the website. AKW Dom Knigy QD-3, Nevsky pr. 28, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 448 23 55, www.spbdk.ru. Open 09:00 - 24:00. AK Knigi i kofe QE-2, Gagarinskaya ul. 2, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 272 49 90, www.bookcoffee.ru. Open 10:00 - 22:00. A Podpisnye Izdaniya QE-2, Liteiny pr. 57, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 273 50 53, www.podpisnie.ru. Open 10:00 - 21:00. A Poryadok Slov QE-3, Nab. reky Fontanky 15, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 310 50 36, www.wordorder.ru. Open 11:00 - 22:00, Sun 12:00 - 21:00. A Vse Svobodny QD-2, Nab. reky Moiky 28 (entrance through the courtyard), MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 911 977 40 47, www. vse-svobodny.com. Open 12:00 - 22:00. A

British Book Centre QD-4, Izmailovsky pr. 18 (Library im. Lermontova), MBaltiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 251 12 43, www.britaniaspb.ru. Open 12:00 - 20:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. Danish Cultural Institute QD-3, Nab. reky Moiky 42, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 571 74 66, www.dki.spb.ru. Open 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Estonian Cultural Center Jaani Kirik QC-3, Dekabristov ul. 54A, MSennaya pl., tel. (+7) 812 710 84 46, www.jaanikirik.ru. Open 14:00 - 19:00, Sat 11:00 - 19:00.

Finnish Institute QD-2, Bol. Konyushennaya ul. 8, 3rd floor, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 606 65 65, www.instfin.ru. Open 11:00 17:00, Fri 11:00 - 16:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Foreign Literature Library QD-3, Nab. reky Fontanky 44/46, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 571 08 56, www.pl.spb.ru. Open 11:00 - 20:00, closed Sun. Foreign literature department 11:00 - 19:00, closed Sun. Goethe Institute QD-3, Nab. reky Moiky 58, MSennaya pl., tel. (+7) 812 363 11 25, www.goethe.de/stpetersburg. Open 08:15 - 20:00, closed Sat. Library open 14:00 - 17:00, closed Sun. Institut Francais QD-3, Nevsky pr. 12, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 571 09 95, www.ifspb.com. Open 09:30 - 18:30, Fri 09:30 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Istituto Italiano di Cultura QC-3, Teatralnaya pl. 10, MSennaya pl., tel. (+7) 812 718 81 89, www.iicsanpietroburgo.esteri.it. Open 09:00 - 13:00, 14:00 - 17:00, Fri 09:00 - 15:00. Closed Sat, Sun. The Japan Center QE-3, Ul. Marata 69-71, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 326 25 50, www.jpcenter.spb.ru. Open 09:00 -18:00.

Closed Sat, Sun. The Netherlands Institute QE-2, Kaluzhsky per. 3, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 327 08 87, www.nispb.ru. Open 10:00 - 18:00.

Closed Sat, Sun.Closed Sat, Sun.

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Liden & Denz The school in ideally located close to the famous shopping street, Nevsky Prospekt, close to two charming parks and the Russian Museum. The course centre has facilities which will allow you to learn Russian in good conditions. For when you want a bite to eat, you will find vending machines in the hall. With the metro, which is located only five minutes’ walk away, you will easily access the various attractions of the city. During your breaks, you will be able to go for a walk along the banks of the Fontanka river where magnificent residences of the former Russian nobility tower up.

The school also offers free internet access to the students as well as IPads at the reception area. A tourist information and reservation service is available to you within the course centre.QD-3, Italyanskaya ul. 17, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 334 07 88, www.lidenz. ru. Open 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Derzhavin Institute The Derzhavin institute is a great place to throw yourself into the romance of Russian culture. Situated in one wing of the refurbished 18th Century Derzhavin mansion, the school has a beautiful setting. There are seven classrooms, all with high-ceilings and large windows.

There’s also a library, common rooms and computers with free internet access for students. Short-term, long-term, intensive and private lessons are available at all levels of proficiency. They also offer special courses for expats. Classes are kept small, with a maximum of 8 students per group. The staff speak many different languages and have experience in teaching at both Russian universities and abroad. They can also organise accommodation, excursions and other social activities for students.QD-4, Nab. reky Fontanky 118, 3rd floor, MTekhnologichesky institut, tel. (+7) 812 740 19 26, www.derzhavin.com. Open 09:00 - 18:00, classes till 21:45. Closed Sat, Sun. October - November 2015

55

Expat & Business The Expat Experience Interview with Eric Seiler, General Manager of Crowne Plaza St.Petersburg Airport.

I was born and grew up in Strasbourg, France and have been traveling since I left school. I lived in various countries including Italy, England, USA, Switzerland, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. I have been working for InterContinental Hotels Group for 5 years and previously worked in luxury and boutique independent properties. I began my career in Food & Beverage as a waiter. Then I gained an extensive experience in Sales & Marketing. I moved back to Operations to discover other departments. In 2010 I moved to Almaty, Kazakhstan where I started as Executive Assistant Manager and took over the Management of the hotel at the end of 2013. At the beginning of this year, I had the pleasure to go to the IHG Head office in the UK as Director of Operations & Performance Support to help our European Estate in achieving service related metrics. As of July, I took over the team of the Crowne Plaza St.Petersburg Airport hotel.

Is this the first time you work in St. Petersburg?

What was your first impression when you came here? Yes it is my first time in St. Petersburg. I immediately felt the Grandeur of the past and the willingness to keep this heritage. As a foreigner, I came to ask questions to people on the street and I was very pleased on how

HEALTH AND beauty Royal Thai QD-2, Bol. Konyushennaya ul. 1, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 315 54 06, www.royalthai.ru. Open 10:00 22:00. A THANN Sanctuary Spa QE-3, Nevsky Centre, Nevsky pr. 114-116, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel. (+7) 812 449 08 36, www.thann-spa.ru. A

Religious Services Buddhist Temple QPrimorsky pr. 91, MStaraya Derevnya, tel. (+7) 911 224 68 79, www.dazan.spb.ru. Open 11:00 - 19:00.

Closed Wed. Catholic Church of St. Catherine QD-3, Nevsky pr. 32-34, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 571 57 95, www.catherine.spb.ru. Open 08:00 - 20:00.

Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Katarina (Swedish church) QD-2, Mal. Konyushennaya ul. 1/3, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 571 20 81, www.swedenabroad.com/ru-RU/ Embassies/Saint-Petersburg/.

56 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

Expat & Business people are friendly and willing to help. This is a great feeling for a foreigner and it highly contributes to a great image of the city.

Can you compare St. Petersburg with other big cities you’ve been to/worked in? Taking districts piece by piece, St. Petersburg definitively reminds me various European cities. However as a whole, the city is really unique, has a strong identity and should not be compared to any other city. Every city has a different history & heritage which makes is remarkable and exciting to discover. I can only say that it is a pure pleasure to walk around St. Petersburg and look at the architecture and monuments.

Do you already have any favorite spots in the city? I didn’t have much time to enjoy the city yet but I already went to Peterhof and to the Hermitage which are divine places. I went several times to Tavrichesky Garden with my children. This is a great park for families to take a stroll, enjoy the sun and play – I loved the casual atmosphere.

International Schools German School QB-2, Ul. Odoevskogo 19A, MVasileostrovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 441 21 59, www.deutscheschule.ru. Open 08:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Infant School (British International School) QF-3, Nevsky pr. 136, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel. (+7) 812 714 77 74, www.infantschool.ru. Open 08:00 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Mandarina Day (Preschool Child Development Center) QF-3, Nevsky pr. 147A, MPl. Al. Nevskogo, tel. (+7) 812 924 24 98, www.mandarinaday.ru. Open 08:00 - 20:00.

The International Pre-School QE-2, Furshtatskaya ul. 22, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 921 977 89 35. Open 09:00 - 15:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Accountants

American Medical Clinic and Hospital QС-3, Nab. reky Moiky 78, MSadovaya, tel. (+7) 812 740 20 90, www.amclinic.com. Open 24hrs.

Euromed Medical Center QF-2, Suvorovsky pr. 60, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 327 03 01, www.euromed.ru. Open 24hrs.

Scandinavia clinic QE-3, Liteiny pr. 55A, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 600 77 77, www.avaclinic.ru. Open 08:00 - 22:00.

Acsour QD-3, Nevsky pr. 10, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 454 44 24, www.acsour.com. Open 09:00 - 18:00.

Closed Sat, Sun. Avenir Group QE-3, Vladimirsky pr. 23A, MVladimirskaya, tel. (+7) 812 718 81 57, www.avenir.ru. Open 09:00 - 19:00.

Closed Sat, Sun. Deloitte Touche CIS QC-2, VO, Sredny pr. 36/40, lit.K, business center Gustaf, MVasileostrovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 703 71 06, www. deloitte.com. Open 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. EMG QС-4, 10-ya Krasnoarmeiskaya ul. 22, office 69, MBaltiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 313 77 81, www.emg-russia. com. Open 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Ernst and Young QD-3, Ul. Mal. Morskaya 23A, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 703 78 34, www.ey.com/cis. Open 08:30 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. KPMG QE-4, Ul. Marata 69-71A, MLigovsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 313 73 00, www.kpmg.ru. Open 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Mannheimer Swartling QD-2, Ul. Mal. Konyushennaya 1/3A, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 335 23 00, www.mannheimerswartling.se.

Open 09:00 - 21:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Mazars QC-2, 7-ya liniya 76, MVasileostrovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 332 94 96, www.mazars.ru. Open 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Moore Stephens International QE-1, Bolshoy Sampsonievsky pr. 4/6A, business centre Monblan, off. 204, MPl. Lenina, tel. (+7) 812 332 28 51, www.moorestephens.ru. Open 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

st-petersburg.inyourpocket.com

www.facebook.com/StPetersburgInYourPocket

What are your plans for the future? My main objective from a professional perspective is to accompany and lead the hotel team in order to build together the future of this fantastic hotel. From a personal perspective, I want to discover the city as much as I can. I will of course start with all the major touristic attractions but I am also looking forward discovering the city from the resident side. I will attend sports events and ballets. Our 6 years old daughter already loves it and we will grab the opportunity of having such a rich and diverse offer. I also want to discover other cities/regions of Russia like Moscow, Kazan and Samara.

Evangelical Lutheran Parish of St. Maria Church QD-2, Bol. Konyushennaya ul. 8A, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 314 71 61, www.elci.ru. Open 10:00 - 18:00.

Grand Choral Synagogue of St. Petersburg QC-3, Lermontovsky pr. 2, MSennaya pl., tel. (+7) 812 713 81 86, www.jewsp.ru. Open 10:00 - 18:00 Open for visitors 09:00 - 18:00. Daily services 09:00, 21:00.

Lutheran Church of Peter and Paul QD-3, Nevsky pr. 22/24, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 312 07 98, www.petrikirche.ru. Open Tue - Fri 10:00 - 18:00.

clinics

22 November 2015

Winter Bazaar The Winter Bazaar is an annual fund raising event held by the International Women’s Club St. Petersburg. This annual event is held at the Astoria Hotel on Sunday 22nd November 2015. It has already become quite a tradition. The Winter Bazaar is the IWC’s main fund raising event to finance the club’s charity activity during the year. The Winter Bazaar is also a wonderful way to meet lots of people, both Russian and ex-pats. All of the proceeds raised go to various charities in the city of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Oblast (in 2014 they raised 1,6 million rouble which is an amazing result). Read the details about the upcoming event here: www.iwcstpete.com/winter-bazaar.html.

internations InterNations is the biggest global networking site for expats of various nationalities and their family members with almost 200,000 members in 235 cities worldwide. By becoming a member you gain access to the online social network where you can connect with other expats, browse the various forums, leave tips for other expats and interact with people who may have the same interests.

Most importantly of course InterNations also host monthly get-togethers. www.internations.org.

October - November 2015

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Metro map

Street register 1-28-ya liniya

B-2,3/C-2,3 Konnogvardeysky bul.

C-3

Rubinshteina ul.

E-3

Admiralteisky pr.

D-3

Kovensky per.

E-2

Ryleeva ul.

E-2

Alexandra Nevskogo most

F-3

Krasnogo Tekstilshchika ul.

F-2

Sadovaya ul.

E-2,3

Angliskaya nab.

C-3

Kronverkskaya nab.

D-2

Sampsonievsky most

D-1

Anichkov most

E-3

Kronversky pr.

D-1

Sapyorny per.

E-2

Arsenalnaya nab.

E-2

Kutuzova nab.

D-2/E-2

Shpalernaya ul.

E-2/F-2

Bakunina pr.

F-3

Lermontovsky pr.

C-3/C-4

Shvedsky per.

D-2

Baskov per.

E-2

Letny sad

D-2

Sinopskaya nab.

F-3

Belinskogo ul.

E-2

Leitenanta Shmidta nab.

C-3

Smolnaya nab.

F-2

Birzhevaya liniya

C-2

Ligovsky pr.

E-3/E-4

Solyanoy per.

E-2

Blagoveshchensky most

C-2

Liteiny most

E-2

Sotsialisticheskaya ul.

E-3

Blokhina ul.

C-2

Liteiny pr.

E-2/E-3

Sovetskaya 1-ya - 9-ya ul.

E-3/F-2,3

Bol. Konyushennaya ul.

D-2

Lomonosova ul.

D-3/E-3

Spassky per.

D-3 B-2,3/C-2

Bol. Morskaya ul.

C-3/D-3

Makarova nab.

C-2

Sredniy pr. (V0)

Bol. Podyacheskaya ul.

D-3

Mal. Konyushennaya ul.

D-2

Starorusskaya ul.

F-3

Bolsheokhtinsky most

F-2

Mal. Morskaya ul.

D-3

Stolyarny per.

D-3

Bolshoy pr. (PS)

C-1,2

Mal. Posadskaya

D-1

Stremyannaya ul.

E-3

Bolshoy pr. (VO)

B-3/C-2

Mal. Sadovaya

E-3

Suvorovsky pr.

F-2,3

Chernyshevskogo pr.

E-2

Maly pr. (PS)

C-1

Sverdlovskaya nab.

F-1,2

Chkalovsky pr.

C-1

Maly pr. (VO)

B-1

Tavricheskaya ul.

F-2 E-2

Degtyarnaya ul.

F-3

Manezhnaya pl.

E-3

Chaikovskogo ul.

Dekabristov ul.

C-3/D-3

Marata ul.

E-3

Teatralnaya pl.

C-3

Dostoevskogo ul.

E-3

Marsovo pole

D-2

Troitsky most

D-2

Dumskaya ul.

D-3

Mayakovskogo ul.

E-2/E-3

Tuchkov most

C-2

Dvortsovaya nab.

D-2

Mendeleevskaya liniya

C-2

Tverskaya ul.

F-2

Efimova ul.

D-3

Mikhailovskaya ul.

D-3

Universitetskaya nab.

C-2,3

Furshtatskaya ul.

E-2

Millionnaya ul.

D-2

Vladimirsky pr.

E-3

Galernaya ul.

C-3

Moskovsky pr.

D-3/D-4

Vosstaniya ul.

E-2,3

Glinki ul.

C-3

Moiky reky nab.

C-3/D-2,3

Vosstaniya pl.

E-3 D-3

Goncharnaya ul.

E-3

Muchnoy per.

D-3

Voznesensky pr.

Gorokhovaya ul.

D-3

Mytninskaya nab.

С-2/D-2

Zagorodny pr.

D-3,4/E-3

Grafsky per.

E-3

Nekrasova ul.

E-2

Zhukovskogo ul.

E-3

Griboedova kan. nab.

C-3,4/D-2,3 Nevsky pr.

D-3/E-3/F-3

Grivtsova per.

D-3

Ostrovskogo pl.

E-3

Inzhenernaya ul.

E-3

Pestelya ul.

E-2

Abbreviations

Isaakievskaya pl.

D-3

Petrovskaya nab.

D-2

Ul. – Ulitsa

Iskusstv pl.

D-3

Pirogovskaya nab.

E-1/E-2

Pr. – Prospekt

Italyanskaya ul.

D-3/D-4

Pochtamtskaya ul.

C-3

Pl. – Ploshchad

Kadetskaya liniya

C-2

Poltavskaya ul.

F-3

Bul. – Bulvar

Kamennoostrovsky pr.

D-1

Pushkinskaya ul.

E-3

Per. – Pereulok

Karavannaya ul.

E-3

Radishcheva ul.

E-2/E-3

Kan. – Kanal

Kazanskaya ul.

D-3

Razyezzhaya ul.

E-3

Nab. – Naberezhnaya

Kirochnaya ul.

E-2/F-2

Rimskogo-Korsakova ul.

C-3,4/D-3

Bol. – Bolshaya

Kolokolnaya ul.

E-3

Robespyera nab.

E-2

Mal. – Malaya

60 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

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Vasileostrovskaya metro station is closed.

Use Sportivnaya metro station.

Advertise on this map!

Call: (+7) 812 448 88 65 www.facebook.com/StPetersburgInYourPocket

October - November 2015

61

Moscow

Moscow Fast-paced Moskva is Russia’s political, historical and business capital and a magnet for the adventurous and ambitious from across the country and further afield. In all senses, this mega city of more than 12 million inhabitants is a meltingpot and its outstanding dining scene and vibrant nightlife reflect its cosmopolitan population. A city of contrasts, Moscow’s busy streets all bear witness to Russia’s turbulent history and dynamic future and while it’s not for the faint-hearted, the Russian capital is a cultural experience not to be missed.

The Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts QUl. Volkhonka 12, MKropotkinskaya, tel. (+7) 495 609 95 20, www.artsmuseum.ru. Open 10:00 - 19:00, Thu 10:00 - 21:00. Closed Mon. Admission 300 - 400Rbl. Admission may vary according to the exhibition.

Tretyakov Gallery QLavrushinsky per. 10, MTretyakovskaya, tel. (+7) 495 951 13 62, www.tretyakovgallery.ru. Open 10:00 - 18:00, Thu, Fri 10:00 - 21:00. Closed Mon. Admission 100 - 360Rbl. English audio guide 250Rbl.

Red Square and the kremlin Aeroexpress Trains All international airports in Moscow have a fast train connection to the capital’s city centre. All? Yes, all!

Aeroexpress trains run between Belorussky Rail Terminal and Sheremetyevo airport, Kievsky Rail Terminal and Vnukovo airport, and Paveletsky Rail Terminal and Domodedovo airport. Each rail terminal is connected via the metro circle line. It takes 35-45 minutes to get to the airports from the centre of Moscow.

Aeroexpress tickets can be bought at Aeroexpress ticket counters or at automatic machines in the rail terminals, through the websites of partner airlines, travel agencies, and via air ticket agencies, either in Moscow, or indeed almost any other region of Russia. A list of sales outlets can be found on the company’s website where you can purchase e-tickets using Visa, MasterCard, or PayPal. You can buy an electronic ticket from the official website www.aeroexpress.ru/en where you can also view train timetables. Download their free mobile app and you will be able to purchase Aeroexpress tickets using your smartphone with no need to print out the ticket: the turnstiles at the airport are able to read the ticket’s QR-code directly from your smartphone/tablet screen.

If you are a Master Card PayPass or VISA PayWave holder, you can easily pay for the fare directly at the turnstiles Aeroexpress.

The Aeroexpress hotline is (+7) 800 700 33 77 (calls from within Russia are free).

62 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

There are a number of ticket booths, the most important being located in Alexandrovsky Sad (on the west side of the Kremlin), which in itself is a great people watching place. Having bought your tickets, leave any large bags in the cloakroom located near the ticket office, under the gate.

A ‘Kremlin Territory’ ticket gets you into the site itself, along with all of the cathedrals and the more ancient buildings. To visit the Kremlin Armoury (where all the sparkly diamonds, jewels and so on are stored) you must buy a separate - and considerably more expensive - ticket, which will have an entrance time on it. This ticket can only be purchased before you enter the Kremlin or you can buy it online at www.kreml.ru.

hotels

All-Russian Decorative Art Museum QDelegatskaya ul. 3, MTsvetnoy Bulvar, tel. (+7) 495 609 01 46, www.vmdpni.ru. Open 10:00 - 18:00, Thu 10:00 - 21:00, Sat 11:00 - 19:00, Sun 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Tue and last Mon of the month. Admission 20 - 200Rbl. GULAG History Museum QUl. Petrovka 16, MKuznetsky Most, tel. (+7) 495 621 73 46, www.gmig.ru. Open 11:00 - 19:00, Thu 11:00 - 20:00 Closed Mon, last Fri of the month. Admission 150Rbl. State Central Museum of Contemporary Russian History QTverskaya ul. 21, MTverskaya, tel. (+7) 495 699 67 24, www.sovr.ru. Open 10:00 - 18:00, Thu 12:00 - 21.00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 19:00. Closed Mon. Admission 70 - 250Rbl.

Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya QKalanchevskaya ul. 21/40, MKrasnye Vorota, tel. (+7) 495 627 55 50, www.moscow.hilton.com. 273 rooms (Room prices start at 6,000Rbl). hhhhh Hotel Baltschug Kempinski Moscow QUl. Baltschug 1, MNovokuznetskaya, tel. (+7) 495 287 20 00, www.kempinski.com/en/moscow. 227 rooms (Room prices start at 12,000Rbl). hhhhh Hotel National QMokhovaya ul. 15/1, bldg.1, MOkhotnyy Ryad, tel. (+7) 495 258 70 00, www.national.ru. 202 rooms (Room prices start at 8,500Rbl). hhhhh Lotte Hotel Moscow QNovinsky bul. 8, bldg. 2, MSmolenskaya, tel. (+7) 495 745 10 00, www.lottehotel.ru. 300 rooms (Room prices start at 15,000Rbl). hhhhh Marriott Moscow Grand Hotel QTverskaya ul. 26/1, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 495 937 00 00, www.marriott.com/mowgr. 386 rooms (Room prices start at 8,000Rbl). hhhhh Metropol QTeatralny proezd 2, MTeatralnaya, tel. (+7) 499 501 78 00, www.metropol-moscow.ru. 388 rooms (Room prices start at 9,440Rbl). hhhhh Sheraton Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport Hotel QMezhdunarodnoye shosse 28B, bldg. 5, MPlanernaya, tel. (+7) 495 229 00 10, www.sheratonmoscowairport.com.

342 rooms (Room prices start at 5,000Rbl). hhhhh AZIMUT Moscow Olympic Hotel QOlimpiysky pr. 18/1, MProspekt Mira, tel. (+7) 495 931 90 00, www.azimuthotels.com. 486 rooms (Room prices start at 5,500Rbl). hhhh Marriott Moscow Tverskaya Q1-ya Tverskaya-Yamskaya ul. 34, MBelorusskaya, tel. (+7) 495 258 30 00, www.marriott.com/mowtv. 162 rooms (Room prices start at 6,000Rbl). hhhh

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Churches Cathedral of Christ the Saviour QUl. Volkhonka 15, MKropotkinskaya, tel. (+7) 495 637 28 47, www.xxc.ru. Open 10:00 - 18:00. Mon 13:00 18:00. Admission free. Guided tours in English for groups for up to 10 people 6,000Rbl (pre-booking required call (+7) 495 637 28 47).

Novodevichy Monastery QNovodevichy proezd 1, MSportivnaya, tel. (+7) 499 246 85 26. Open 09:00 - 17:00. Admission 250Rbl. Pokrovsky Monastery QUl. Taganskaya 58, MMarksistskaya, tel. (+7) 495 911 49 20, www.pokrov-monastir.ru. Open 07:00 - 20:00.

Admission free.

Museums

Luxury Trains to Moscow If you are looking for a comfortable night train to the capital it is worth considering taking a private train. The cheerful Megapolis train leaves for Moscow every night and offers a more hotel-like travel experience. After being shown to your cabin you will find your beds have already been made up with real duvets rather than blankets, and all round the carriages are spotless. Hot breakfast and coffee can be brought to your room in the morning and if at any moment during the trip you experience some problems you can call the train attendant from the comfort of your bed and they will come to you! If you want to wake up in Moscow truly fresh in the morning, it’s worth the money.QTrains leave Moskovsky vokzal (M Pl. Vosstaniya) at 00:38 and arrive in Moscow at 09:01. For reservations call 8-800777-20-19 or book online at www.poezdmegapolis.ru

Novotel Moscow Centre QNovoslobodskaya ul. 23, MMendeleevskaya, tel. (+7) 495 780 40 00, www.accorhotels.com. 255 rooms (Room prices start at 4,602Rbl). hhh Ibis Moscow Centre Bakhrushina QUl. Bakhrushina 11, MPaveletskaya, tel. (+7) 495 720 53 01, www.accorhotels.com. 190 rooms (Room prices start at 3,990Rbl). hhh Comrade Hostel QUl. Maroseyka 11, MKitay Gorod, tel. (+7) 495 628 31 26, www.comradehostel.com. (Prices start from 600Rbl). iVan Hostel QPetrovsky per. 1/30, app. 23, MChekhovskaya, tel. (+7) 916 407 11 78, www.ivanhostel.com. (Prices start from 700Rbl).

getting there Dozens of different night trains run to Moscow every day from Moskovsky vokzal, so there’s little excuse for not making the effort to visit. If you have less time you can also take advantage of the new super fast Sapsan train, which leaves St. Petersburg six times a day and gets you there in just under four hours. Local airlines also fly to Moscow and the journey takes about one hour. Once at one of Moscow’s three airports, hop on the aeroexpress train which brings you right to the centre.

October - November 2015

63

Dagestan

Dagestan the fortress at Derbent, a two hour drive down the coast.

Derbent itself is the southernmost city in Russia and claims to be the oldest. The fortress is UNESCO-listed (one of 26 such sites in Russia) and has largely been restored to much of its former glory, although some work towards the back is still ongoing. Views from the top across the city of Debert & over the Caspian are impressive although it can get windy up there. Derbent also has a synagogue even if most of the region’s Jews departed for Israel & beyond once the Soviet Union collapsed.

Nothing to be afraid of - we made it there and back in one piece; now it’s your turn!

Staying there

Daring to delve into Dagestan

By Luc Jones OK, so your friends and family back home already think that you are nuts for moving to, living in or even simply visiting Moscow. If CNN is to be believed, the big kapusta is basically a modern version of 1930s Chicago, but this time with the Russian mafia calling the shots. Anyone who has ever been to Moscow knows that in fact it’s probably safer than your average European city yet it still sounds both dangerous and mysterious to those who’ve never set foot here.

If you want to take things a few steps further and show your Russians friends that you’re crazy but don’t actually want to go somewhere dangerous then Dagestan is just the destination for you!

Dagestan is firmly OFF tour agencies’ itineraries and sees very few outsiders, let alone casual tourists, so not surprisingly sourcing information isn’t easy simply because there is very little to be had. The Lonely Planet guidebook does not cover Dagestan (or Ingushetia or Chechnya, for that matter) and in fact they advise travelers not to visit; only a few Russian language websites have any information of any use. Nevertheless, hotel rooms can be booked via booking. com and there are a few restaurants listed on Tripadvisor (also in Russian only), so this is your best bet to get started.

Unlikely most of the other regions in the Caucasus, technically there is no such thing as a Dagestani, and nor is there

getting there There are at least half a dozen daily flights from all three of Moscow’s main airports to Uytash airport (MCX) in Makhachkala, flights taking two hours. Prices begin at around 7,500Rbl with Pobeda (Aeroflot’s low-coster).

There are also direct flights to St. Petersburg. Cabs to your hotel cost around 600Rbl. 64 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

even a unified language – it is simply a region filled with several dozen ethnic groups (none of which dominate), each with their own identity and language. The name ‘Dagestan’ simply means ‘mountainous people’ and Russia has effectively controlled the region for over two centuries yet very few Russians remain today.

Most likely you will arrive by air, and driving into Makhachkala you will think that you have reached a city under permanent construction; building works are going on everywhere on the outskirts although these are largely residential. There is slightly more noticeable Police presence at some junctions although apart from the ubiquitous GAI posts, there is nothing to suggest that this might be the hotbed of Muslim fundamentalism that outsiders want you to believe is Dagestan.

Makhachkala is a typical semi-non-descript, mid-sized, provincial Russian city albeit with a backdrop over the Caspian sea. The fundamental difference is that there are almost no ethnic Russians and certainly no foreign tourists in town.

Yet it’s perfectly safe and friendly, and functions just like everywhere else in Russia, with shops and restaurants, and locals strolling along the promenade. Islam has certainly made something of a resurgence, as can be seen from the occasional signs on restaurant windows stating that no alcohol is served – even if the neighbouring venue does. Yet women wearing headscarves are more the exception than the norm and men sport beards more as a fashion than as a religious statement. Interestingly, locally produced wines and cognacs provide employment in a region where outside investment is scant and jobs are scarce, hence why so many Dagestanis head for Russia proper, particularly Moscow to seek work.

The city’s main square and nearby war memorials are a good place to kick off an afternoon walk, then head down toward the sea for photo opportunities. Football fanatics will want to catch a glimpse of Anzhi Makhachkala’s spankingly new stadium even if it is a 20 minute drive south from the centre and casual fans can’t just get into the ground (except on match days). There is however a club shop to purchase souvenirs to prove you were actually here.

Dagestan’s gem, and one of the key reasons for visiting is st-petersburg.inyourpocket.com

Hotels are not located particularly centrally since Makhachkala sprawls down the Caspian coast and most accommodation is towards the southern part of town.

We stayed in the Hotel Metropol (www.metropolmakhachkala.ru) which is 3,000Rbl per night for a double room including breakfast.

Getting around Taxis are very cheap – expect to pay 150Rbl for a 10-15 minute ride from your hotel into the centre (or back) regardless of whether you called for one, or if you simply flagged it down on the street. Your hotel can book you an official cab to take you to Derbent and back; expect to pay around 5,000Rbl for the return trip including plenty of waiting time to visit the fortress and to have lunch (time ain’t money in the Caucasus)!

Speaking there Dagestan has 13 official languages, yet everybody speaks Russian (albeit with a strong Caucasian accent as it’s a second language for many). Our hotel receptionist spoke good English but my guess is that she was in a minority!

Eating there Expect plenty of shashlik in its various forms at everywhere from roadside cafes to sit-down restaurants. The vegetarian option is the accompanying bread and salad.

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russian history 9th Century: Slavic people from Ukraine and Belarus migrate into Russia, founding Veliky Novgorod, converting to Christianity, and adopting the Cyrillic alphabet.

10th – 15th Centuries: Golden Age of Kievan Rus continues until the Mongol descendants of Ghenghis Khan invade. Ivan the Great comes to power in 1462.

17th Century: Times of Troubles 1603-1613: the Swedes and Poles invade. Russia acquires new Siberian territory. First Romanov is elected Tsar.

1703: Peter the Great founds St. Petersburg, which becomes the new Russian capital in 1712 1762 – 1796: German princess Catherine the Great marries her way into the Russian royal family and launches a program of legislative and educational reform.

1812: Alexander I defeats Napoleon on Russian soil.

1861: Alexander II emancipates Russia’s serfs.

1914: WWI begins; there are enormous losses, food shortages and widespread unrest. St. Petersburg is quickly renamed Petrograd to sound less German.

1917 – 1924: Following the February and October Revolutions of 1917, Lenin’s Bolshevik Party takes control of Russia. Tsar Nicholas II and his family are murdered in 1918. Moscow becomes the capital again. Russia is plunged into a bloody civil war. St. Petersburg is renamed Petrograd and after Lenin dies in 1924, Leningrad.

1934: The worst period of Stalin’s terror begins; it lasts until 1941.

1941 – 1945: Germany attacks Russia on June 22 and the Great Patriotic War begins. After sustaining heavy losses, Russia begins to push German-forces back in 1943. Germany surrenders in 1945.

1953: Stalin dies. It’s estimated that 20 million people died as a result of his purges, camps and forced famines. In 1954, Krushchev succeeds him.

1961: Yuri Gagarin becomes the first man in space.

1979: The Soviets invade Afghanistan, and in opposition, 64 countries boycott the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics.

1985: Gorbachev becomes General Secretary of the Communist Party and calls for reforms including perestroika (restructuring) and glasnost (openness).

1991 – 1999: Yeltsin becomes the first elected president of the Russian Federation in June. Economic crisis and instability ensues with rampant inflation and privatization shaking the country.

1999 – 2008: Native Petersburger, Vladimir Putin becomes President in March 2000. Russia becomes more stable and prosperous, thanks to gas and oil exports.

2008 – present: Medevdev becomes the third President of the Russian Federation in May, but after 4 years Vladimir Putin once more takes the Presidential seat.

October - November 2015

65

Arkhangelsk

Arkhangelsk – The Angel of the North!

Take a look at the 500 rouble note and you’ll see a picture of the statue of Peter the Great overlooking the STS Sedov boat by the sea. For most Russians and foreigners alike, this will be the closest that they will ever get to Arkhangelsk (sometimes spelt ‘Archangel’ in English), although it makes an attractive, albeit smaller alternative to St. Petersburg for those who want to witness true white nights when it really stays light for 24 hours a day in the summer months.

It also makes for a handy stopover for flights to the nearby Solovetsky islands for those not wanting to go by boat.

Arkhangelsk’s strategic position meant that it has operated as a port for hundreds of years; its golden age being in the 1600s before St. Petersburg was founded when it went into decline as Baltic trade increased in importance. Interestingly, until this time it was Russia’s only seaport and it was in the early 1800s that the arrest and prolonged detention by the Russian authorities of John Bellingham, an English export representative based in Arkhangelsk, was the indirect cause of Bellingham later assassinating the then British Prime Minister Spencer Perceval. The city’s fortunes were revived in part when in the late 19th century a railway from Moscow was constructed and Arkhangelsk was a major port of entry for the Allied Arctic Convoys during both World Wars.

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Today Arkhangelsk is a typical, mid-sized Russian city (population approx. 350,000) with more than enough places of interest to keep you occupied over a weekend visit. First off, begin by familiarising yourself with the city’s layout with a long walk along the curving promenade which follows the river Dvina’s flow, stopping for photo opportunities at the Peter the Great statue, Gostiny Dvor and the eternal flame. Start (or finish) at the river terminal which usually has a boat or two in dock, and walk back along Troitsky prospekt for some additional sights by Lenin square, including a British WW1 tank!

An easy and thoroughly worthwhile half-day trip from Arkhangelsk is the settlement of Malye Karely (www. karely.ru), only a 25km drive away to witness how rural life would have looked a century or so ago. You will walk around dozens of wooden buildings, ranging from windmills to functional homes and in many you can wander inside to catch a glimpse of the simple, yet functional possessions. Allow a couple of hours as many of the structures are far apart from each other and expect to walk up and down a few hills, but the surrounding scenery makes for a lovely outing, especially when the sun is shining! Entrance fee is 250Rbl per person and there’s plenty of parking nearby.

In the opposite direction, a half hour’s drive is Severodvinsk if you fancy a glimpse of some of Russia’s submarine fleet (they are built here, and come back for repairs) although much of the town is little more than a concrete jungle which sprung up during the Soviet period.

Getting There

Where to stay

Aeroflot and Nordavia – Regional Airlines both operate several flights a day from Moscow and St. Petersburg to Arkhangelsk’s Talagi airport (www.arhaero.ru), with Aeroflot’s low-coster Pobeda now flying from Moscow.

Flight time from Moscow is just under two hours, from St. Petersburg it’s just over an hour. There are also flights to the Solovetsky Islands most days, weather permitting!

Trains take around 18 hours from Moscow to Arkhangelsk, travelling via Yaroslavl and Vologda but aren’t much cheaper than flying unless you go platskart.

Dvina QArkhangelsk, Troitsky pr. 52, tel. (+7) 8182 657777, www.hoteldvina.ru Ostrovito Morushko Q Solovetsky Island, ul. Sivko 20, tel. (+7) 911 877 75 85, www.ostrovito.ru Pur-Navolok QArkhangelsk, Nab. Severnoy Dviny 88/1, tel. (+7) 8182 217200, www.redstar-hotels.ru/hotels/arkhangelsk/ Solo QSolovki, ul. Kovaleva 8, tel. (+7) 921 4928085, www. solo-vky.ru

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